Dimensional Traveler Naruto
by Jathal
Summary: Oh sure, of course I'm happy that that I decided to spend the day hanging out with Bunta and the rest of the toads... what I'm not happy about is the old junk lying around the mountain that sent me flying into another dimension! When I get my hands on that overgrown drunk... First stop, Fairy Tail!
1. Prologue

Well, here's a small Prologue for a story that's bouncing around in my head. This story will be published more slowly than my other one, Unpredictable Treasure Hunter, as I'd like to get that at a certain point before working on other stuff. But, I just had to write this out and share it. So, read, review, tell me what you like or hate and if there's enough interest I'll see about putting this out as well as my other story. Later all!

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><p>Naruto narrowed his gaze as he stared at the dense cloud roiling before him as he felt the familiar burning sensation from inhaling the smoke that surrounded him. Blood sluggishly flowed from several gashes in the shinoibi's skin until the familiar burn of Kurama's chakra began coursing through his battered body, the powerful energy healing the more severe wounds that he had sustained during the ongoing fight. As he slowly raised his arms once more, the undaunted shinobi formed a familiar hand seal and smirked as a pair of clones phased into existence, the two copies not looking any better off than their creator but still eager to fight. 'Even when it's just a clone, I guess I'm always ready for a fight.' Just as Naruto began to relax a little, hoping that his final volley of senbon had disabled the last of his opponents, a brief chill swept through the room that caused the shinobi's eyes to widen in surprise. 'Oh, son of a...'<p>

"_Aisu Meiku:Ransu!"_ Naruto's eyes widened as dozens of sharpened spears of ice pierced the dense smoke, both the clones and the original dodging wildly before they could be skewered by the fast moving weapons. As the trio landed once more, Naruto pointed to the smoke and made a swift gesture with his hands, his clones nodding as they raced inside of the cloud of smoke, the dense cloud enveloping the pair as soon as they entered. Several moments later, a short yell of pain caused Naruto to shake his head sadly at the sound of a body hitting the ground.

'Never stay put after you launch an attack, who taught these guys how to fight? I mean come on... OH SHIT!' Naruto's eyes widened as he saw the smoke take on an angry, red color just before a young man burst through the smoke, his hand wreathed in brilliant flames as he launched himself towards the wounded shinobi.

"_Karyū no Tekken!"_ Naruto gritted his teeth as he sidestepped the oncoming blow, his wounds screaming at each movement the blonde made. Naruto didn't have to wait long as the pink haired young man charged in once more, a grin forming as the blonde spun around the powerful right cross, his momentum bringing him behind the charging youth. A glowing hand slammed onto the attacker's back, the blow staggering the youth as a seal rapidly spreading across his clothing. Naruto panted loudly as he watched the pink haired youth struggle against his Gravity Seal, the muscles in his legs twitching wildly as he fought against the seal. Naruto sighed as he bent forward, hands resting on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Tired blue eyes scanned the smoke filled room, the currently lost and confused shinobi noticing that something was missing.

'Wait, wasn't there a redhead in armor?' Naruto's eyes widened once more as he dropped to the ground, a few severed locks of his hair fluttered to the ground as a wickedly sharp blade rushed over his head. Naruto paused for a moment when a second sword sank into the charred wood between his legs, the shinobi gulping at the close call. 'Well shit, looks like someone decided to stop playing.' Naruto leaped to his feet as he saw the red haired girl appear before him, a pair of silver swords in her grasp lashing out with pin point attacks in an attempt to cripple Naruto's limbs. But, after several moments of dodging, the young woman growled before she changed tactics, her blades cutting off any avenue of escape for the dancing shinobi in an attempt to box him in.

'Heh, nice try but I'm not the most unpredictable ninja for nothing!' Naruto ducked unto another vicious slash and slammed both of his hands into the ground, a small twister of wind enhanced chakra sending debris and smoke flying around him, covering both of the combatants in a shroud of smoke. Naruto grinned once more as he shunshin'ed behind his opponent, his arms grabbing the woman in a full nelson before she realized he was even there. Naruto gritted his teeth as the girl screamed and thrashed against him, demanding that he let her go. Several moments passed before the young woman finally stilled, her defiance having petered out as she remained trapped in the arms of her opponent. Naruto tightened his grip slightly and was rewarded with a whimper, the young woman's swords dropping to the ground as she finally surrendered to the blonde.

"Finally. Now, where am I and, more importantly, why the hell did you attack me?!" Naruto sighed in annoyance as the redhead in his grasp growled loudly, her struggles returning with a vengeance as she attempted to free herself from her captor's iron grip. "Look, I can keep this up all day, just answer my questions and I'll let you go." A smile slowly appeared as Naruto felt the young girl's struggles weakening, until she finally signed in resignation.

"All right, I'll talk. You are currently in Magnolia, more precisely you are in the Fairy Tail's Guild Hall. And the reason we attacked you was because you attacked one of us! Were we just supposed to let that slide? We're family and we all look out for each other!" Naruto sighed as he released the young woman, the shinobi taking a few steps back as the young woman slowly stood and faced him.

"Where the fuck is Magnolia?"

Flashback – Two hours earlier

The hot noonday sun shone down on _Myōbokuzan as_ the hidden home of the toads played host to the one of their most treasured friends. The young man that had been instrumental in the thwarting the plans of both Uchiha Madara and Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, Uzumaki Naruto, had arrived after wandering the continent for the past year, the former Konoha shinobi decieding to spend the day with his summons.

_"Kici! More sake!"_ Gamakichi sighed as he slowly sipped from his sake dish, watching as his father and Naruto appeared to be participating in some kind of drinking game, the pair laughing uproariously before Naruto lifted a dish of sake that was easily five times his size.

_'Well, it looks like a game... sorta. Probably more accurate to say dad is trying to kill Naruto via alcohol poisoning. Who knew someone so small could knock back so much sake?'_

Naruto had never been this drunk in his entire life. And it wasn't the kind of drunk where you'd start thinking, 'Wow, I'm getting a buzz and I feel really, really, good' . Oh no, this was a 'Look at the awesome flying pink elephants! Let's go ride one' kind of drunk.

Two years had passed since the 4th Shinobi War had ended and Naruto was celebrating his eighteenth birthday with the toads on _Myōbokuzan_. Everything was going well until Gamabunta brought out the special Fire Sake that was only brewed on the summons mountain. Needless to say, the party quickly degenerated into a drunken celebration and it was one of the only times Naruto could recently remember where he was actually enjoying his free time. Ever since the defeat of Tobi and Madara, Naruto had been saddled with the title of the Nidaime Rikudō Sennin, a title that carried a heavy burden.

Naruto drained the remaining sake before tossing the dish over his shoulder, his thoughts returning to the day that he had left Konoha. As a bearer of the rank of Sage, the blonde was forbidden from residing among his fellow shinobi lest one of the Kage's try and use him to upset the delicate balance of power shared between all the villiages. All of his friends had gathered at the gate in an attempt to give their savior a proper send off. Naruto smiled sadly as he remembered the numerous hugs and tears from people he had come to consider family, a sigh working it's way past the jinchūriki's lips as shakily stood on his feet.

Bleary eyes focused on the distant gourd that containted the potent brew that the young Sage had been imbibing. The normally somewhat graceful shinobi swayed drunkenly as he made his way towards the nearby gourd, the teen having made excellent progress getting completely smashed today so he could drown out the sad memories. But just as he reached the vessel it rose in the air as Gamabunta took a healthy swig of the powerful alcohol, the boss summon letting out a self satisfied belch as he dropped the empty gourd to the ground.

"Damn ya Bunta! I wash gonna drink that!" Naruto's bleary eyes focused on the empty vessel as he listened to the boisterous laughter of the massive summon, an idea for a prank quickly forming in the blonde's sake addled mind. Naruto closed his eyes as he focused on collecting Nature chakra, the process having become as easy as breathing for the blonde. Moments later the young Sage had hefting the massive gourd with ease, the drunk blonde flinging the heavy item at the laughing Bunta.

_"You snooze you... KISAMA!"_ Bunta slapped one of his webbed hands over his sore cheek, the boss level summon growling lowly as he listened to Naruto laugh maniacally loudly. Leaning forward, Bunta glared blearily at a still laughing Naruto, the summons ire rising as he lashed out at the distracted summoner. Many of the toads laughed at the spectacle of the violently drunk Bunta, many of them thanking any deities that were listening that they were not the recipient of the power toad's ire. As Naruto crashed to the ground in a heap, his bleary eyes looking up at a tall stone arch that was half buried in the ground.

"I musht of hit m'head... I think I'm sheein a huuuge shtone ar...ar... thingy in the ground..." Naruto giggled softly as he fell on his ass, his eyes focusing on the curious sight before him.

_"Naruto-chan, you are seeing a large stone arch in the ground. It's been here since we have lived on this mountain, but even we have no idea what it does."_ Naruto squinted as he turned around, a grin splitting his face as he saw Fukasaku land at his side.

"PA! Juss th' toad I wanna shee! Gimme more shake... or shomething I can hit Bunta with, damned bashtard blindshided me... when did it get sho dark?" Naruto looked up, his eyes blinking owlishly as he came face to face with a glowering Bunta, the massive toad growling softly at the sight of the blonde shinobi at his feet. Another powerful bitch slap sent Naruto hurtling towards the large stone archway, the plastered shinobi growling in anger as he flew through the air. But just as the blonde neared the ancient structure, something unexpected happened. A blast of natural energy flung Fukasaku and Bunta away from the monument, the pair watching in shock as a glowing tunnel formed in the center of the archway, a tunnel Naruto passed through from his uncontrolled flight. As soon as the blonde passed through the portal the passage collapsed, causing both Bunta and Fukasaku to look at the now inactive stone structure in shock. Fukasaku glared at the drunk Toad boss and sighed.

_"Well that can't be good. Congratulations, Bunta, you've just volunteered to tell Ma what happened to Naruto-chan. Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be very understanding when you explain what caused our summoner to disappear like that."_

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><p>Naruto swiftly closed his eyes as he passed through the portal, the flashing colors surrounding the blonde eliciting a groan as he struggled not to throw up. After several moments of weightlessness Naruto finally hit solid ground, the blonde rolling to a stop against a set of closed doors. Groaning softly, Naruto staggered to his feet and looked around the bright room, his sake addled mind trying to figure out where he was. All he could see was a blinding light that surrounded him, a situation that didn't mix well with his current inebriation. Pushing against the stone doors, Naruto growled loudly and heaved, his enhanced strength throwing one of the doors wide open as he fell to the ground once more.<p>

"Nevah again... nevah gonna drink again..." Naruto let out a deep breath as he lay on the cold stone floor, his ears picking up the faint sound of laughter overhead. Pushing off of the surprisingly comfortable floor the shinobi saw a set of stairs leading... somewhere. As the plastered shinobi staggered to the top of the stairs a large wooden door barred his path, the portal apparently barred from the other side as it refused to budge. One wind chakra coated fist later and the door exploded, the drunk blonde staggering into the large open room.

As Naruto stumbled into the new room, his eyes swung back and forth as he noticed the surprised expressions that were aimed at him, the blonde growing annoyed at the scrutiny. 'Whassamatta, nevah sheen a drunk man before? Buncha pusshies... wait, ish your hair'sh pink?" Naruto staggered towards a group of teens, each of them watching in wide eyed surprise as Naruto pointed at a pink haired boy standing among them. "HAH! Jusht like a girl!" Naruto closed his eyes and laughed loudly as he pointed at the young man that stood before him, his drunken state allowing the young man to catch him by surprise with a powerful punch to his face.

As Naruto painfully hit the ground, the blonde reached up and dabbed at his sore nose, the blonde growling as he saw his blood that coated his fingers. Rolling over on his stomach, Naruto's eyes closed as he dove into his mindscape, the blonde growling as he kicked a sleeping Kurama in the ass, causing the Biju to awaken with a start.

"Dammit kid, I was sleepin... what the hell happened to you?" Naruto dabbed at his nose again, a glare his only answer as he stemmed the flow of blood.

"I need you to burn the alcohol out of my system now, someone deserves an ass whupping!" Kurama grinned evilly as his potent chakra flooded Naruto's coils, the alcohol quickly burning off as the potent chakra from Kurama filled the jinchūriki. Naruto rose to his feet, his mind finally clearing as Kurama purged his system of the alcohol. Every eye turned towards the noew glowing blonde, a smile gracing his features as he reached for his weapons pouch. "Now, time to play."

End flashback

"Did you really think I wouldn't beat the shit out of pinky here when he decked me? I can see you're all fighters... well, sorta. Anyways, he should have expected it! And it's your own fault for jumping in, it was his fight!" Erza growled as she gestured at the dozens of fallen mages around her.

"And what about them? Did they deserve it too? HUH!?" Naruto sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck before he gestured at the other mages that had joined in on the brawl.

"Oh come on, I just used a simple poison to put them to sleep, they'll be fine in an hour! Well, they'll have a massive headache, but that's besides the point! I still have no idea..." Naruto's tirade was cut off as a massive shadow began to fall towards him, the blonde looking up with wide eyes as a very tall man leaped towards him. Naruto's eyes tightened as he raised his arms to block the oncoming youth when the falling boy's arm glowed brightly, the shinobi's eyes widening at the massive steel arm that had replaced the teen's normal flesh. The powerful blow caught Naruto flat footed as the blonde crashed through a distant wall and was soon buried under it's debris. Erza shook her head in exasperation as she watched Mirajane and Lisanna run up beside their brother, the elder sister flashing the stunned swordswoman a shit eating grin.

"Oi, Erza, looks like you..." Erza growled angrily as she jabbed a finger into Mirajane's chest, the ivory haired teen glaring angrily at her rival.

"Mira, what do you think you're doing?! I was talking him down, you whitehaired skank!"

"Sure you were, you clanky bitch, that riff raff attacked our nakama and he got what he deserved! Don't worry, he won't get up after ... a hit... oh no." Erza spun around and watched in fascination as the rubble that had buried the blonde shifted, when a blast of wind sent the destroyed wall careening towards the four teens. Elfman was the first to fall as a large section of the wall struck his head, the young man immediately falling to the ground. Lisanna cried out for her fallen sibling, the youngest Strauss sibling raising her hands so that she could heal her brother when she slumped on top of her brother, snoring lightly as if she had fallen asleep. Mirajane focused on the sight of the blonde teen as he stood over her siblings, a growl passing her lips as she began tossing Evil Sparks at the blonde. But each blast missed it's mark as the young man danced around spells, the sight of his smirking face causing Mira to grow even angrier.

"DAMN YOU! STAND STILL AND TAKE IT LIKE A MAN!" Erza's eyes widened as she watched Naruto appear behind Mirajane, the young woman about to call out a warning when she realized who she was about to save. Naruto gave the angry young woman a firm slap on her ass, causing Mira to screech as sh spun around, her hand covering her rear in case he tried that again "PERVERT!"

Naruto chuckled as Mira threw a punch at his face, the blonde leaning away from the strike as he glanced towards Erza. "What happened to 'Family looks out for each other'?"

"Heh, that midriff baring bitch dug her own hole, she can climb out of it herself." Naruto blinked rapidly as he watched Mira turn away form him, her eyes intently focusing on a glaring Erza before both of them raced towards each other, their hands locking together as they tried to over power each other.

Naruto paused for a moment, a look of confusion appearing as he watched the two girls fighting before him. "Ok, now I'm really lost. Are you family, or enemies? Not that there's much of a difference between the two sometimes..."

"MY GUILD HALL! NOOOOO!" Three sets of eyes glanced towards the door, the sight of the shortest old man Naruto had ever seen causing the blonde to blink in surprise. Said old man was on his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks as he looked at the destroyed guild hall. As the two young woman reluctantly put the fight on hold, the blonde shinobi chuckled nervously as he raised a hand in greeting.

"Well, looks like your guild members bit off a little more than they could chew. Sorry about the mess, I think it's time for me to go..." Naruto's voice trailed off as a large sword suddenly rested on his shoulder, it's sharp edge resting dangerously close to his jugular. Moments later a scaled hand rested it's sharpened claws on the other side of the blonde's neck, the shinobi swallowing loudly as he looked back at the old man. "On second thought, how about we have a little chat?"


	2. Chapter 1

So, I got some nice reviews from such a small prologue I decided to write the next chapter right away! Keep'em coming, more reviews means more desire to write! This chapter bounces around a bit, from the start of the canon Manga to the time when Naruto arrived in Fairy Tail. Naruto's arrival in Fiore occurs 1 year before Team Take Over go after the Beast.

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><p>As the sun slowly began it's ascent in the warm summer sky, a tall figure yawned loudly as he stretched his arms over his head, a satisfied groan escaping his mouth as he continued on his trek. Glancing upwards, the young man closed his eyes as he breathed deeply, the smell of the wildlife that surrounded him causing him to smile softly. Some time later, the young man paused on the road he was following, a canteen appearing in his hand as he drank it's contents. Lowering the canteen, Naruto grinned tiredly as his gaze was filled by the town before him, the waking residents already milling about as they began their daily routines. Naruto's sky blue eyes watched the people as they greeted their friends and loved ones, a chuckle passing the man's lips as he ran a hand through his blonde hair, his fingers trailing over the metal plate that adorned his forehead as he grinned ruefully.<p>

'Heh, there's no place like home.'

Chapter 1

Magnolia Town was a bustling city, one filled with both the young and old, rich and poor, but the true highlight of the city was the large building that skirted the edge of town. The occupants of the building, a constant topic of the normal daily chatter that occurred across town, were famous across the entire continent for one reason. This building was the hall of the top mage guild in all of Fiore, Fairy Tail. Many of the citizens idolized the brave mages, their conversations normally mentioning at least one of them daily... and more often if a member had a particularly insane mission.

"Didja hear? Natsu destroyed the Port in Hargeon Town! Insane, absolutely insane!" The market district was beginning to fill up, the vendors discussing current events before the daily grind forced them to compete with each other to sell their wares.

"Yeah, but did you hear about the monster that Erza-san was hired to kill? I almost feel sorry for the monster!" A round of laughter continued among the adults milling around the market until a large blonde haired man was seen walking through the main gate of the city. Several of the towns folk grinned widely as they waved at the man, several cheers starting as the youth rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Naruto-san! You're back! How was your mission?" Uzumaki Naruto yawned loudly, his heavy pack dropping to the ground as he lightly scratched a cheek.

"Nothing too serious, but I'm wiped out. As much as I'd like to stay her and chat, I'm heading over to the guild for a drink and then back home for a nap. I'll see you all later, thanks for the welcome back home!" Naruto grinned as he saw several children run towards him, the shinobi ruffling their hair as he passed them by before waving goodbye as he made his way towards the Guild Hall. Several of the adults shook their head as they watched the young man calmly stroll towards his destination, the words that he had spoken causing one of the women to grin widely.

"Heh, nothing too serious he says. Only Naruto-san, that man is too humble for his own good. After all, he's not know as the Kage of Fairy Tail because of his good looks."

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><p>The inside of the Fairy Tail Guild Hall was a gathering place not only for mages, but people that saw each other as family and the hall as their home. Various groups gathered around the multitude of tables, partners and teams trading stories and jokes as they drank to their hearts content while others worked on various projects and interests that had caught their attention. And through it all, a beautiful young woman wove her way towards each group, their lecherous glances not bothering a single wit as she deftly sidestepped each invitation that was extended to her as she performed her job to perfection. The young woman smiled brightly as she deposited her final order, her beaming smile causing the men at the table to blush as she sauntered away, her swaying backside leaving the group speechless as the waitress returned to the bar once more.<p>

Mirajane sighed as she rested her tray on the bar, the young beauty taking a deep breath as she looked over her fellow guild members as they continued to carouse throughout the room, their glee spreading to everyone around them as they continued to revel in their high spirits. 'We're only missing one thing to make this scene perfect... just when is that baka coming home?'

Just as Mira was about to circle around the bar and sit for a spell, the front door of the guild opened and Mira's eyes widened as they landed on the new arrival, the the metal forehead protector emblazoned with the symbol of Fairy Tail leaving no doubt in Mira's mind of the man's identity. Mira's intent gaze took in the sight before her, quickly checking to see if the man before her was injured in any way. Finally assured that he appeared to be hale and hearty, a wide smile appeared on Mira's lips as she raised her arm and waved excitedly as she yelled the man's name.

"NARUTO!"

Every conversation came to a screeching halt as Naruto's name was called, the entire guild hall turning as one to see the recently arrived shinobi, his hand raised in greeting. "Yo, I'm back everyone." Naruto laughed aloud at the loud cheer that welcomed him home, several guild members walking forward and slapping the man on his back as they celebrated the return of one of their members. Naruto smiled as he caught up with several of his friends in the guild, but after a few moments the shinobi's attention was once more drawn to the expectant gaze of the woman that had seen him first.

Naruto laughed as he slowly pulled away from his well wishers, the blonde making his way towards the bar. Naruto's eyes focused on the shy smile Mirajane was sporting as she watched Naruto slowly draw closer towards her, a faint blush staining her cheeks as she nervously smoothed her dress. As Naruto passed several of his fellow guild members, his ears picked up snippets of several muffled conversations, his enhanced hearing picking up on the familiar topics that were brought up once he had entered the building.

"No wonder she keeps rejecting me, look at how she's staring at Naruto! Lucky bastard."

"Do you think they'll get a clue and finally get together this time?"

"Nah, I bet you a thousand jewels that blondie is still oblivious to how Mira-chan feels."

Hiding a grin as he neared the elated young woman, Naruto braced himself as Mira ran forward and wrapped the blonde in a bone crushing hug, burying her face in his chest as Naruto's arms encircled her waist. Naruto grinned as he ran his hand gently up and down Mira's back, a muffled giggle her only response.

"So," Mira's muffled voice rose from her position against Naruto's chest. "Are you back for a while now?" Naruto grunted softly, the shinobi grinning as he felt Mira's arms tightening around him for a moment before she stepped back. "Good, it's been too long since you came home. No more accepting missions from the council, you got that?" Naruto raised his hands in front of him, a weak smile his only response as he backed away from the insistent young woman.

"Come on Mira, they were in a bind, they needed someone with my... 'skills'. Besides, they said that I wouldn't be called upon for another mission for at least another year, maybe even more." Naruto watched the woman before him as her narrowed gaze studied him, the blonde sweating a little at the scrutiny. After several moments Mira nodded her head resolutely and stepped behind the bar once more, her hands moving deftly as she prepared a drink for the returning shinobi. Sliding the finished creation towards him, Naruto raised the glass to his lips and drank slowly, savoring the taste while he continued to stare at Mira.

"What?" Naruto laughed as he peered over the edge of his mug, his expressive eyes never straying from the woman before him. As Mira began to blush from Naruto's scrutiny the shinobi slowly lowered his glass and rested his elbows on the bar as he leaned close, an action mirrored by Mira.

"Not much, just remembering the day I crashed into this place. I seem to remember a young white haired girl getting ready to kill me for some reason... I think it was because I had the balls to spank her in the middle of a fight." Naruto grinned as he watched Mira's blush darken, the barmaid clenching her hands as she mock glared at the man before her.

"I never did get you back for that, you still owe me." Naruto laughed loudly as he reminisced about that day once more.

Flashback – 3 years ago

"A CHAT? A CHAT?! How about you apologize for smacking my ass! Freaking pervert, I should gut you like a fish!" Naruto lazily looked over at the fuming woman, his bored expression causing the young girl to growl loudly as her hair began floating around her like an aura while sparks of dark energy arced along her body.

"Yes," Naruto said. "A chat. Also, I think you better move those claws, someone could get hurt badly if you don't." As Naruto finished speaking, he relaxed his iron grip on his killing intent, the potent aura seeping out and causing the temperature of the room to drop drastically.

Naruto watched the young woman's eyes widen as she involuntarily took a step away from him, her clawed hand shaking slightly as her breathing became ragged. Looking over his other shoulder, Naruto glared at his other attacker as she slowly shook her head, her sword shakingly pulling away from the blonde's neck and vanishing in a burst of light. Naruto closed his eyes as he clamped down on his aura once more, his normal grin returning as he focused on the old man before him.

"Sorry about that Jiji, names Uzumaki Naruto. Shinobi extraordinaire and all around 'Prankster from Hell'. Now," Naruto said, his gaze slowly scanning the faces of the three people before him. "Can anyone tell me how the hell I got here?"

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><p>Makarov was sitting crossed legged on the bar, a mug of beer raised to his lips as he studied the young man before him before slowly drinking from the glass. Setting the mug on the counter, Makarov let out a sigh as he narrowed his gaze once more at the blonde before him.<p>

"So let me get this straight," Makarov said, his incredulous expression growing as he continued to speak. "You were in the middle of a celebration of your birthday, an event that was being celebrated by... Giant toads." At Naruto's happy nod, Makarov rubbed his chin before he continued.

"And one of these giant toads was a mean bastard of a drunk, slapping you across the mountain before he finally sent you flying through some type of artifact that no one knew how to operate, correct?" Naruto nodded rapidly once more, the action causing Makarov to smile slightly at the energetic young man before him.

"And after you disappeared through some kind of portal, you wound up in the lower levels of the guild, breaking through a magically sealed room and it's secure door, and finally proceeded to bust up my guild hall?" Naruto laughed as he nodded, his face disappearing behind a mug as he took another swig of the beer he had been given, the entire time Makarov's calculating eyes studied the young man before him as he considered what he had been told. Several moment passed before Makarov softly began to snigger, the action causing Naruto's eyebrows to rise in surprise as he lowered his mug to watch the small mage before him. Makarov's snigger continued to grow in volume until it became a giggle, before finally transforming into a full blown belly laugh as the Guild master began to slap his open palm against the bar. Raising his mug once more, Makarov sighed as he shook his head. "Oh, I wish I hadn't missed that! Why do all the good fights happen when I'm not here?"

"MASTER! He knocked everyone out and seriously hurt Natsu and Gray!" Naruto rested his elbow on the bar, his deadpan expression causing Erza's mouth to quickly snap shut.

"Oi, Pinky and Frosty both earned it," Naruto said, a serious expression appearing on his face as he lectured the young woman before him. "They were the ones that started the whole fiasco. I was perfectly fine to use my taijutsu against them but their were the ones that escalated it when they used their magic. The others were knocked out for their own protection, I didn't want them getting caught up in the cross fire." Erza growled as she folded her arms over her chest, the red head turning away as she stormed out of the guild, Makarov sighing as he shook his head slowly. Naruto then spun around, a teasing grin on his face as he poke Mirajane in the shoulder. "And do you have anything you'd like to complain about, Shiro*?" (*Whitey)

Mirajane glared at the shinobi beside her before turning away, her chin rising in the air as she ignored the blonde at the bar. Makarov sighed softly as Naruto turned back towards him, the blonde shrugging helplessly. "I see you have a way with the ladies, Naruto-san." Makarov grinned at a sniggering Naruto, the blonde shaking his head as he took another gulp of his beer.

"Oh yeah," Naruto said, a condescending grin appearing on his lips as he turned back towards Makarov. "I got them eating out of my hand, they're even willing to gut me like a fish and pound me into a smear on the floor. What else could a man ask for?" Naruto sighed as he put his mug down, his expression turning melancholy as he closed his eyes. "It's been two years since I've had any extended contact with people, all because of who I am. My own friends and comrades were forced to banish me, rather than start a conflict that would have decimated our village. Every once in a while I would see a friend as they performed their missions, each time I was greeted politely but soon I was alone once more, my journey never ending as I continued to wander the world."

Makarov placed his mug on the counter top once more, his expression serious as he placed his hands on his knees. "So, you had no place to call home and now you have no idea how to return there, that is if you even wanted to." Naruto nodded sadly as he drained his glass, the blonde sighing as he rested his forehead against the bar.

"You should join Fairy Tail." Naruto raised his head, his eyes blinking rapidly as he and Makarov both looked at the blushing face of Mirajane in surprise. "I mean... I c-couldn't be bothered to care what a pervert like yourself would do! But... but if you wanted a family and friends, you could join Fairy Tail!" As Mira ran off towards her still unconscious siblings, Naruto looked at a grinning Makarov and sighed, a grin forming slowly on his face.

"Well, who can argue with that logic?"

End flashback

Naruto grinned as he remembered how nervous Mirajane was when she suggested the shinobi join Fairy Tail, the young woman appeared so confident now after only three years had passed. As Naruto raised his glass to his lips once more, the blonde enjoying the view as Mira turned away and began washing several dishes, the doors to the guild were violently kicked in and an energetic pink haired man entering the building, screaming loudly as to announce his presence. Naruto sighed as his head drooped, Mira's delicate hand resting in his blonde locks as she ruffled the shinobi's hair gently.

"You know he nearly worships the ground you walk on, right?" As Naruto looked up, he nodded tiredly, his hands tapping softly against the glass mug he held between them. Mira gave the tired shinobi a beautiful smile before she walked around the bar, heading towards the rowdy new arrival. "Natsu, welcome home!"

As the Fire Dragon Slayer turned towards Mira, his eyes widened as he pointed dramatically at the bar, flames spewing from his mouth as his excitement overrode the small amount of common seance the young man possessed.

"NARUTO! FIGHT ME!" Natsu roared excitedly as he rushed forward, sidestepping Mira as she shook her head in exasperation. Naruto sighed as he spun around in his bar stool, the blonde resting against the bar as he lazily observed the charging Dragon slayer.

"Natsu, watch out for the seal trap." Natsu's ecstatic expression instantly morphed into one of confusion as he glanced towards the floor, a loud squawk of indignation as the clueless dragon slayer stepped on a glowing seal, it's presence having been missed as it had been activated recently. Naruto smirked as he watched the youth growl when he was slammed into the ground, the gravity seal stopping his headlong rush towards the tired shinobi.

"I just got back from an extended mission," Naruto said, a loud yawn interrupting him as he stared at the struggling youth. "We can spar later but for now I am completely tapped out." Natsu growled as he slowly pushed himself off of the ground, the shinobi's eyebrows rising in surprise as the dragon slayer slowly started towards him once more.

"I'm not letting one of these stop me this time! I'm going to take you down today!" But before Natsu could take another step, a cold chill ran down his spine, the normally blazing Dragon Slayer feeling as if his entire body had been dunked in ice. Glancing over his shoulder, Natsu's face paled as he saw a shadowy aura surrounding the normally cheerful Mirajane, the barmaid approaching the frozen young man while one of her hands held a slowly forming spark of energy.

"Natsu, go play with the others," Mirajane said, her extremely sweet tone of voice belying her obvious anger. "Naruto is off limits for the time being. I'll let you know when you can play with him again." Mira smiled brightly as Natsu nodded woodenly, the young man falling over in shock as the gravity seal released it's hold on him. Looking around at the other members, Natsu growled as he spotted Krov, the impetuous Dragon Slayer jumping to his feet and racing towards his unsuspecting target. Moments later, Naruto shook his head as he watched the all too common brawl occur once more, fortunately this time the participants were keeping him out of it.

"Some things never change," Mira said while she watched the brawl continue to grow until the entire guild was caught up in the fight. "Do they?"

Naruto shook his head as he looked towards the doorway, seeing an unfamiliar young woman that was staring in shock at the bar room brawl taking place right before her eyes.

"Oi, new girl! Over here!"

* * *

><p>Lucy's eyes widened as she pulled her luggage after herself, her companions stopping before a large building as they turned towards her. Natsu grinned as he jerked his head towards the guild. "Here it is, Fairy Tail."<p>

As the pair entered the building, Lucy's gaze took in the numerous mages before her, the sounds of revelry causing a smile to form rapidly as she got her first look at the greatest guild in all of Fiore. Just as Lucy was about to walk forward, a loud yell beside her caused the young woman to squeak in surprise as she watched Natsu race towards the bar.

"NARUTO! FIGHT ME!" Lucy blinked as she folded her arms under her breasts, the name Naruto bouncing around her head for a few moments.

'That's strange, I was sure I knew the names of all the members of Fairy Tail... maybe he's a new member?' as Lucy looked towards the bar, the Stellar Spirit Mage's eyes widened in shock as she saw Natsu fall to the ground, the powerful young man struggling against an unseen force as he tried to reached his final destination. Looking towards the bar, a frown appeared as she failed to recognize the man before her. Lucy nearly squealed as she recognized Mirajane when she came over and spoke to Natsu, the young woman causing the fire mage to pale significantly before he fell over.

As Lucy watched the action unfolding before her, her expression quickly changed from contemplative to shock as she watched Natsu rise once more and attack a fellow guild member, an action that set off a battle royal that soon enveloped the entire guild.

'They're insane," Lucy said, the mage ducking under a thrown table as she continued to watch the fight in shock. "All of them! Isn't there someone here that's normal?"

"Oi, new girl! Over here!" Lucy turned towards the bar, seeing the same blonde man from before waving her over. And beside him was...

"Mirajane?! Oh wow, I get to meet Mirajane!" Lucy happily skipped towards the bar, her smile having returned completely as she stood before one of her idols. But just as Lucy arrived at the bar, she pointed at the fight behind her in worry. "Shouldn't we stop them?"

Mira closed her eyes as she smiled, her head slowly shaking back and forth. "Oh no, this happens all the time! Besides," Mira said, never noticing a bottle of booze that had been thrown towards her. Her expression never wavered as the blonde at the bar snagged the bottle out of the air, the young man rapidly flinging the projectile back towards the brawl. "If it gets too serious I can have Naruto here stop them!"

Lucy watched in shock as the returned bottle smashed into a guild member's nose, the man holding the broken protrusion while focusing his glare towards the bar. Lucy shivered as she felt a cold presence suddenly appear, the glaring man in the brawl falling flat on his ass as he began to shake like a leaf in the wind.

"Naruto! Stop that, your scaring the new girl!" Lucy looked back in shock at the now standing blonde haired man, seeing a icy glare aimed at the guild member with a broken nose. Sighing softly, Naruto sat back down and the chill finally lifted, Lucy taking a shaky breath as she sat on a bar stool.

Just as the fight appeared that it was going to escalate, the mages involved all deciding it was time to bring magic into the battle, a shadowy foot slammed into the ground, causing the entire guild to freeze in fear. "CUT IT OUT YOU FOOLS!"

Lucy's eyes glanced up... and up and wayyy up as she choked down a scream of panic. "HE'S HUMONGOUS!"

"Master! So," Mirajane said. "You were here after all!" Lucy's jaw dropped as she looked at the apparent master of Fairy Tail. Lucy's surprise changed to awe as she then saw every brawler before her back away from their opponents, many of them grumbling as they turned towards their Master... well, that is, all of them except Natsu.

"HAH! You all got scared! This match is my win... GAHHH!" Lucy watched in morbid fascination as the guild master before her raised a massive foot and stomped on the loud mouthed fire mage, silencing his victory speech. Lucy's loud "epp!"echoed through the now silent guild as she watched the massive man turn his gaze towards her.

"A newcomer, eh?" Lucy's jaw dropped as the shadowed being before her began emitting powerful magic, the stellar spirit mage sweating as she waited to see what her fate would be. Moments later, Lucy's fear swiftly changed to surprise as the shadowy man rapidly shrunk, a short old man now standing before her. "Nice to meet you. The name's Makarov, welcome to Fairy Tail."

Before Lucy could respond, the old man leaped towards the second floor, his body spinning rapidly as he... slammed the back of his head into the railing, his pain filled groan causing the entire guild to cringe. Makarov clung to the railing and slowly pulled himself on top of it, the old man standing at his full three foot height. As the guild master raised his hand, a large sheaf of papers appeared as he looked at the people below him, his firm gaze causing the assembled mages to nervously fidget. "You've done it again you fools!" Makarov said, the old man shaking his head as he motioned at the papers he held. "Look at the documents I've received from the council!"

Meanwhile, with Naruto

Naruto grinned as he looked over at Mira, his hands clasped before him in a classic pose of begging. "Please, please can I do it? It's the perfect opportunity!" Mira let out a soft hum, placing a delicate finger on her cheek as she considered the request.

"Well, I think you're right, it is the perfect opportunity! I give you full permission!" Naruto grinned as he rubbed his hands together, his expression gleeful as he turned back towards Makarov, an expression that caused Lucy to gulp.

'Just what is he up to?'

Back with Makarov

"...Burning down a church in Freesia, damaging parts of Lupinus Castle, Nazune Ravine's Observatory collapsed and they had suspend their operations! And now you blew up half of Hargeon's Port! Natsu! Why can't you be more like Naruto! All of you can learn from him, he never blows anything up!" As Makarov turned towards the mentioned guild member, his eyes widened at what he saw. "Naruto... what are all those piles of paper around you?"

Naruto grinned evilly as he pulled the top sheet off of the closest pile, the blond clearing his throat as he began reading the document. "Warehouse District of Crocus, destroyed. Main Port in Cedar, destroyed. Half of Oak Town castle, destroyed during an inter-guild battle... oh yeah, I remember that fight, the council was not happy about that one!" Naruto glanced up at Makarov, an innocent smile gracing his features as the guild leader pointed down at him in anger.

"WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE! I'VE NEVER HEARD OF ANY OF THOSE INCIDENTS BEFORE... YOU! No, no you didn't..." Naruto's grin became very fox like as he nodded happily.

"Yep yep! I stole them all before you could read them! Every sheet here is a list of the stuff I've destroyed!" Naruto watched as Makarov growled, his face slowly turning red before he sighed, the anger bleeding out of him as he glared at the blonde below him.

"Well played Naruto," Makarov said loudly. "You win this round." Makarov grinned as he looked down at the other members, one of his hands gesturing towards the grinning blonde below him.

"Naruto understands that each and everyone of us is responsible for our own actions. The council seeks to control us, use us and hold us back. Forget what they say and do what you think is right, that is the way a Fairy Tail mage should be!" Naruto grinned as he watched his fellow members cheer loudly, the blondes head shaking as he resealed the stacks of blank paper surrounding him.

Later...

Lucy grinned excitedly as Mirajane placed Fairy Tail's guild stamp on the back of her hand, the magical item leaving an imprint of the guild mark in a pale pink color. Looking up at her idol, Lucy's expression became smug as she noticed Mira glancing over at a napping Naruto, the blonde's head laying against the bar as the other members of Fairy Tail gave the sleeping man a wide berth.

"So, Mira," Lucy said, her smug grin growing as she saw the barmaid blush lightly. "Are you and Naruto... you know?" Raising her pinky finger, Mira shook her head quickly as she covered her now burning cheeks.

"No. you got it all wrong! We're just close, we've been through a lot together." Mira glared at the blonde girl, watching Lucy intently as she crossed her arms under her large breasts. A smug expression appeared on Lucy's face as she turned towards the sleeping shinobi.

"So, if he's free, that means that I could..."

"NO!" Lucy turned back towards Mirajane, the older mage's look of shock sealing the deal for you young girl.

"AH HAH! You do...!" Lucy's victorious shout was cut off as Mira slapped her hands over the loud blondes mouth, glaring at the girl until she stopped talking.

"Not a word to Naruto," Mira said quietly. "Otherwise, they'll never find the body." Lucy's eyes widened in shock but before she could say another word a high pitched voice spoke up beside the shocked young woman.

"Is my Daddy back yet?" Lucy looked beside her and saw a young boy looking up at Makarov, the guild leader sitting atop the bar as he swallowed a mouthful of beer.

"Romeo, you're really starting to annoy me. You're the son of a mage, trust in your father and wait for him at home like a good boy should." Several people began to speak of the job Romeo's father, Macao, had take on Mount Hakobe. As Romeo pleaded that someone go look for his father, Makarov took a large gulp of his beer before slamming the mug onto the bar.

"No way! Your dad's a mage, he can take care of himself! Go home and drink milk or something!" Lucy's eyes widened as she watched Romeo leap forward, his fist lashing out as he punched Makarov in the nose before her turned and ran away, his tears falling to the ground as he left the guild.

As Lucy turned back towards Mira, a loud crunching sound caused her to turn towards the request board, the young woman's eyes widening when she saw a request embedded in a newly formed crack on the board. Lucy watched as a silent Natsu walked away from the request board, the fire mage reaching for his pack as he turned towards the entrance. Just as he left, Naruto rose from his stool and reached for his pack, pulling a long sleeved red jacket over his shoulders, the flame trimmed garment causing Lucy's gaze to narrow.

"Shouldn't we stop them master? They're just going to be trampling on Macao's pride of they rescue him." Lucy looked towards the person that spoke, seeing a large tanned man dressed in a set of tribal clothing. Lucy looked towards Master Makarov, as the old man calmly smoked a pipe between gulping down his beer.

"Of course you can Nab, go right ahead, try and stop Naruto and Natsu from leaving." When the tanned man continued standing by the request board, Makarov smirked after removing his pipe from his lips. "Yeah, I didn't think you would. Just let them go, this is their choice."

'Where have I seen that coat before? It looks so familiar...' Lucy watched as Naruto glanced towards Mirajane, the barmaid nodding as the tall blonde walked out of the guild hall as well. After the blonde left the building, Lucy turned back towards Mira, her hand grasping the drink before her.

"What happened to those two?" Mira stopped polishing a glass as she looked at Lucy, a sad expression causing the stellar spirit mage to wonder if she wanted to know the answer to her question.

"Natsu... Natsu lost his only parent, he woke up one day and he was gone. He learned everything from his foster parent, even his magic, and he loved him very much. He still misses Igneel to this day. Naruto... he never had the opportunity to know his mother or father, he's an orphan." Lucy's eyes fell towards her drink, the young woman thinking of what she had just learned as Mira continued to speak.

"Neither of them want Romeo to go through what they did, at least that's what I think is happening." Mira rested her elbows on the bar, a melancholy expression appearing as she continued speaking. "Almost everyone in Fairy Tail has a painful story, one that drives them forward and has made them who they are. Even me..." As Lucy slowly stood, she left her suitcase at the bar as she ran out of the guild, a sadly smiling Mira watching her progress.

* * *

><p>As Romeo's tears slowly fell from his cheeks, the young boy's wiping futility at them as he continued to cry. As Romeo slowly made his way back towards his home, a rough hand ruffled his hair for a moment, causing Romeo to pause and stare at Natsu's back, the dragon slayer not even stopping as he continued to walk towards the edge of Magnolia.<p>

"Don't worry Romeo, we'll find him." Romeo whirled around, the new voice causing his tears to fall once more as the young boy young boy saw Naruto walk towards him, his hand also ruffling the young boy's hair. As Naruto caught up to his comrade, Naruto chuckled as he saw the dragon slayer hiring a carriage to take him and Happy to Mount Hakobe.

"You must really want to get there badly if you're willing to use a carriage to do it." Glancing over his shoulder, Naruto saw Lucy running towards the pair and he grinned evilly. "Oh ho, I see how it is," Naruto said. "You could smell her following us and you got a carriage so she could go with you. You sly dog you." Natsu refused to take the bait, causing Naruto to pout sullenly.

Lucy stopped before the pair, the young woman panting loudly as she looked at the carriage. "Let me go with you!" Naruto and Natsu shared a look, the shinobi shrugging as Natsu motioned at the carriage.

"Ok, get inside, we've got to get moving." Lucy smiled widely as she climbed into the carriage, missing the light blush staining Natsu's cheeks as she turned towards Naruto. "So I guess you're going to leg it?"

Naruto nodded as he began stretching legs, his eyes focused on the distant peaks of Mount Hakobe. "Yep, I'll scout around the mountains, there's a lot of ground to cover and we may not have much time." As Naruto dashed off, Natsu climbed into the carriage and sat down, the dragon slayer breathing deeply as he tried to control his growing nausea as the carriage began to move. Lucy looked at Natsu quizzically and then towards the closed door.

"Where's Naruto? Isn't he riding with us?" Natsu stretched out on his bench, his motion sickness causing the young man to groan as he shook his head.

"No... too slow for him," Natsu said. "He'd go nuts after a few minutes of sitting here. He's running towards Hakobe right now, he... oh god, I hate carriages... he should arrive in half an hour or so, we'll be a few hours behind him." Lucy's jaw dropped as she looked at Natsu in amazement.

"Seriously? How is he so fast?" Natsu sighed as he began to sweat, his hands resting on his roiling stomach. Happy hopped on the bench as he looked at the girl sitting across from him.

"Feh, that's nothing for the Kage of Fairy Tail," Happy said, "You should see him when he's really serious." Lucy's jaw dropped as she began putting all the pieces together, her eyes widening as she leaned towards her current companion.

"Kage? You mean the Fairy Tail Guild's Co-Ace, that Kage?" At Natsu's weak nod, Lucy giggled excitedly as she fell back on her bench.

"Wow, I knew I recognized that jacket! Doesn't he normally wear a mask? Is he as strong as they say? People claim he's some kind of unstoppable juggernaut that can never be beaten!" Natsu laughed weakly as he shook his head, causing Lucy to cock her head to the side.

"Heh, his mask is for when he goes on secret missions, almost like another identity. And he is strong... but it's not just his strength that makes him who he is. He's only a little stronger than an A class mage," Natsu said, his face paling as he continued to speak. "But it's his mind that makes him dangerous. He's... urp... nearly unstoppable if you give him a chance to come up with a plan. Even if he doesn't, he's still hard to beat cause you can't predict what he'll do. But one day I'll take him down and... urgh... be the strongest there is."

Lucy sat back, crossing her arms under her breasts as she leaned against the wooden wall of the carriage. 'Well, nothing left to do but wait for the journey to finish... I really hope Natsu doesn't puke on me.'

Three hours later

Natsu groaned as the carriage finally came to a stop, his stomach finally settling as he shouldered his pack. "Finally, lets get of of this thing." As he opened the door, strong winds blew snow into the carriage, causing Lucy to scream as she began rubbing her exposed arms.

"What the heck?! It's the middle of summer!" As Lucy looked at the snow storm raging around the trio, she saw a blanket resting atop Natsu's pack and raced towards it. "Gimme that!" Moments later Lucy pulled one of her keys from her waist raised it into the air. "O-open the door of the clock! HOROLOGIUM!" As Lucy raced towards her summoned clock, she watched Natsu and Happy scanning the frozen land before them.

"Just what was Macao doing her in the first place?" As Lucy stepped inside of Horologium, a chill raced down her spine as she heard Natsu's reply.

"You can out here without knowing that? Macao was going to subdue a dangerous monster, Vulcan. It's been spotted around here. If it's not stopped, it could destroy any nearby towns in a matter of days." As Natsu began walking towards the nearest peak, a large shadow falling from above caused Natsu to back flip to safety, the dragon slayer watching as a Vulcan landed before him. The large ape like creature laughed mockingly as it leaped over Natsu, the creature snatching up Horologium in it's clutches and running off.

"Save me! She says." Natsu watched apathetically as Lucy was carried away, the dragon slayer releasing a large blast of fire around him. Moments later a crouching Naruto appeared, the shinobi rising to his feet as he looked at his fellow guild mates.

"Well, none of the other peaks had any clues. Since you signaled me with your magic, I'm guessing you ran into something, am I right?" Natsu grinned as he punched his fist into his open hand, a burst of flames appearing around his body.

"Yep, we found the Vulcan. I've got his scent, lets go."

* * *

><p>So there you have it, please review since that's the only thing I gain from this story in the end. Till next chapter!<p> 


	3. Chapter 2

So, first off... yes, I have a pretty good idea of how powerful Naruto is in comparison to the members of Fairy Tail and the threats they face in that world. On general principle he'd be able to conquer the world in a few days and rule over the ashes. Meaning, there has to be a way to limit what he can do, which is explained in this chapter. As you are going to see, Naruto will be in a good number of the major story plots, some of them he'll be right in the thick of it with the guild members, others he will be in the shadows or doing something that is connected, but each time he will kick ass. So, thanks for the reviews, lemme know what you think and keep'em coming.

So yeah, I will be working on this and another story of mine on a rotating basis. So for the rest of January, I'll be working on Dimensional Traveler, and in February I'll work on my other fic, Unpredictable Treasure Hunter. If you haven't checked it out I'd say go for it, it's a decent size so it'll give you something to read.

Chapter 2

Mt. Hakobe was a frozen wasteland, the perpetual snowstorm stopping all but the bravest... or most foolish from scaling its peaks. If anyone could see the group that was crossing the frozen mountain paths of the area, they would be hard pressed to know if they were either incredibly brave... or completely bat shit insane to be doing it.

Natsu continued his trek across the frozen mountain path, the dragon slayer stopping every few minutes as he sniffed the air. Happy sat perched on his partner's shoulder, the blue cat keeping his eyes peeled as he scanned the horizon for possible dangers. Naruto silently followed the normally hyper young man, the hood of his sage coat pulled over his head as he looked at the raging blizzard surrounding the trio.

"Any problem picking up the scent, Natsu?" Naruto's shout apparently had been heard by the young man as a negligent wave was his only answer, an action that caused Naruto to grin as they neared what appeared to be the entrance to a dark cave. But as the three mages entered the opening, the shinobi whistled lowly as he looked at the icy cavern stretched out before them. "No way this is natural," Naruto said. "The layout is too precise, I wonder what made this?" Naruto pulled his hood down as he walked further into the cave, the shinobi cocking his ear as he heard loud gibbering echoing against the walls of dense ice. "I'm pretty sure we've found them. Let's go."

Several minutes later, Natsu slowly edged himself towards what appeared to be the final antechamber of the cavern, a proud Naruto watching as the Dragon Slayer didn't run headlong into the unknown situation, fire blazing from his mouth while fighting by the seat of his pants. 'And the funny thing is,' Naruto thought wryly. 'It only took a whole year of 'violent reinforcement' to break him of that bad habit!'

"How many are there? And is Lucy ok?" Natsu glanced around the corner once more, before looking back at the shinobi, a frown stretched across his face.

"There's only about twenty of them." Naruto raised an eyebrow as he rubbed his chin in thought. "And Lucy... well..." A high pitched scream echoed through the icy caves, causing Naruto to sigh as his head fell forward.

With Lucy

"AHHHH! HOLOROGIUM, I NEED AN EXTENSION! GIMME AN EXTENSION PLEASE! AHHHHH!"

Back with Natsu, Happy and Naruto

Naruto sighed as he rubbed at his forehead, the sound of the gibber tribe of Vulcans and Lucy's screams causing a headache to form. "Of course, her spirit just had to disappear now. That thing would have protected her during the fight, but now, we're gonna have to save her... damned newbies coming on a mission like this. And are you sure about the number of Vulcans in there?" Naruto said, his hand gesturing back at the room ahead of the pair. "Check again, that number seems kinda low for all the noise we're hearing."

Natsu looked around the corner once more, but this time when he looked back his expression was gleeful as he rubbed his hands together. "Oh no, there's way more then twenty, looks like forty now." Naruto grumbled softly as he began to pull out several items from a hip pouch.

"If that stupid clock had stuck around, we could have had a little competition, but now we have to watch out for the newbie." Naruto sighed as he placed several tags against the wall that separated the trio from the chamber, the small pieces of paper glowing briefly as he connected it to his chakra system. Closing his eyes, Naruto stretched out his chakra senses, the shinobi pinpointing each monster that was hiding behind the wall. After several moments, Natsu began to fidget and was about to run headlong into the fight when a strong hand gripped his forearm, the dragon slayer looking into Naruto's shocked eyes.

"Change of plans, we've got another problem."

* * *

><p>Lucy nervously backed away from the approaching Vulcans, the primate monsters surrounding the cowering woman as she shivered under Natsu's blanket. 'Natsu, Naruto, where are you? If only there was something I could use as a distraction, then I could try and escape!'<p>

As if answering Lucy's desperate plea, the far wall of the antechamber exploded, smoke and shards of ice flying across the room as the Vulcans began to run helter skelter in fear. That is, all the Vulcans except the one that kidnapped Lucy scattered, the tall creature grinning lecherously as it neared the now terrified girl.

"Woman... Me likes woman!" Lucy screamed in terror as the Vulcan's hand reached for her, the celestial spirit mage raising her arms over her head when a sudden blast of wind sent the girl crashing to the floor.

Lucy groaned as she picked herself up off the ground, her attention focused on the growling Vulcan that was now face to face with her, the young mage's eyes lifting as she looked to see what was holding the creature on the ground. Looking upwards, Lucy's jaw dropped as she gasped, her vision filled with the sight of Naruto standing in front of her, his hand pinning the Vulcan to the ground. As the S-class Mage pulled his hand away from the monster, a brightly glowing character was revealed, several snaking lines leaping from the mark and wrapping around the creature as it struggled to move.

"Stay down, Lucy! Natsu," Naruto said, his hands clasped together in front of him. "Let 'er rip!" Lucy's eyes widened as she watched Natsu stride through the thick smoke, the young man spreading his legs widely, inhaling deeply as a magic seal forming rapidly around him. Lucy watched in fascination as he brought both of his clenched fists in front of his mouth, his cheeks bulging as he finished inhaling.

"_Karyū no Hōkō_!" Lucy screamed as a wall of flames raced towards her, when the sight was suddenly cut off as a wall of ice rose up, the frozen liquid glowing a brilliant orange as it held back the flames.

"Can you stand?" Lucy blinked slowly, her gaze focusing at a hand held out before her. Looking upwards, Lucy's vision clouded as she stared into the smiling face of her savior, tears slowly running down her cheeks. "Aw come on, don't cry, we're nakama, I wouldn't let anything happen to you. If I did, Mira would kill me. And besides, I like you, you've got spunk." As Lucy began to wipe at the falling tears, a loud thump echoed against the ice wall. Naruto grunted as he touched the wall before the pair, a string of glowing characters revealing themselves just before they burst into motes of light. Moments later the ice wall fell, the sight before her causing Lucy to cover her mouth in horror.

Natsu stood before the young woman, a sombre Happy perched on his shoulder. The young mage was doing his best to block Lucy's sight, but his body wasn't large enough to hide the burned remains of the Vulcans that had inhabited the cavern. Lucy looked up at Naruto in shock, her mouth working silently as she tried to understand what was going on.

"Vulcans use Take Over," Naruto said, the blonde haired man kneeling beside the sole surviving creature, his expression grave as he reached into his hip pouch once more. "It's a spell that imprints a specific creature or monster on top of a person's normal body. Vulcans take over people, causing their tribe to swell quickly as they hunt down humans in nearby towns and villages." Lucy's eyes widened, her gaze switching towards Natsu who nodded grimly before Naruto continued to speak.

"After a while, the Take Over becomes permanent, meaning that there is no way to return those people to their human form. When this happens, its a mercy to end it for them, or else they may attack their loved ones and friends, changing them into monsters as well." As Naruto pulled a small piece of paper out, Lucy watched in fascination as it was placed atop the Vulcan, the creature gibbering madly as it tried to escape.

"Before we attacked, I could sense that one of the Vulcan's was still human, he was in the process of turning... meaning, that if we got to him fast enough we could save him. It also works out well for us, after all he's the reason we came out here." Lucy watched in wonder as the Vulcan was bathed in a brilliant white light, the terrified gibbering rapidly changing to painful shrieks. Several moments passed before the creature began to shrink, revealing a passed out older man with blue hair, his clothing covered in blood.

"Lucky for Macao here, I have a lot of experience with Take Over magic. The seal I just used absorbs the magic from him, returning him to his natural form." Bending over, Naruto helped pull the older man to his feet as Macao began to wake, his bleary eyes staring at the blonde man supporting him.

"N-Naruto? Wh...what happened?"

"Heh, I was hoping you could tell me Macao. I was surprised to find you taken over by a Vulcan, this was a pretty big tribe to go after all on your own." Macao took a deep breath as he shook his head, the man quickly remembering what had occurred.

"The mission said that there was a small tribe of them here, but it looks like they've been doing some recruiting. Nineteen, I took out nineteen of them but the twentieth... he snuck up behind me, once I saw him it was too late and then... nothing, I don't remember anything else until I just saw you. How long have I been gone?"

Magnolia, late evening

Romeo was sitting in front of his house, no longer caring how late the hour was or how tired he became. The young boy just sat there, staring down the road as he continued to wait. Several minutes passed when a group of people appeared under a lamppost, the sight causing Romeo to leap to his feet.

A sheepish looking Macao, his arm over Natsu's shoulders, waved at his son as the dragon slayer helped him reach his home, a smiling Happy and Lucy waiting beside the lamppost as they watched the reunion before them. Macao slipped his arm free from Natsu, the older man painfully turning towards his nakama and thanking him before he continued towards his son. Natsu grinned as he turned around, the mage walking silently towards his friends.

"NATSU-NII! HAPPY! LUCY-NEE! THANK YOU!" Natsu turned partially and raised his hand, a wave his only response before he walked off. Lucy caught up with the dragon slayer, her hands held behind her back as the trio slowly made their way towards the guild hall.

"So, where did Naruto disappear to? As soon as we hit town, he took off." Natsu shrugged his shoulders, the youth placing his hands in his pockets while Happy rode on his shoulder.

"Dunno, I knew he has a place in town but no one knows where it is. He just came back from a three month mission and he helped rescue Macao, he's probably wiped out. If anyone deserves a rest, it's him. Lets go home."

* * *

><p>Naruto groaned loudly as he entered his home, the dwelling having remained unchanged since he had left several months earlier. The tired shinobi dropped his pack in the living room, his shirt quickly joining the bag on the floor as the blonde looked at his forearms.<p>

Each forearm was wrapped in leather, each intricate sheath containing several strips of lacrima. The bracer on Naruto's left arm glowed a soothing green, while the right glowed a dull scarlet. Moments later, the shinobi removed these as well, his eyes focusing on the now revealed flame like tattoos that ran halfway up his forearm. As Naruto studied the black flames against his skin, a pair of delicate arms wrapped around his waist from behind, the shinobi letting out a content sound as the woman's soft hands slid up his chest.

"Hey love," Naruto said as he enjoyed the warmth from his lover's body. "I missed you." Naruto felt the woman behind him pull him towards her, soft lips kissing his broad back gently before the shinobi spun around, his fingers gently caressing Mira's cheek before he wrapped her in his arms. Mira's arms looped around Naruto's neck, the young woman pulling the shinobi into a deep kiss as she pulled him towards the nearby bedroom, a giggle escaping her lips as her lover kicked the door shut.

Several hours later

Naruto gently placed his hand on the stomach of his lover, pulling the young woman closer as the pair spooned together in their bed. A soft kiss on Mira's neck caused her to moan softly, the young woman enjoying the sated feeling after welcoming Naruto back. 'Now this has been what I've missed, falling asleep in his arms. It's been too long.' The young Take Over mage sighed as she opened her eyes drowsily, a delicate finger gently tracing the flame like tattoos on Naruto's arms as she relaxed in his embrace.

"Did you find anything this time?" After several moments without an answer, Mira was afraid that Naruto had fallen asleep on her. But a heavy sigh dispelled this thought, the shinobi's answer causing Mira to close her eyes as she brought Naruto's palm to her lips, kissing it softly before settling back against her lover's chest. 'It's been three years and we're still no closer to a solution.'

Flashback - Day of Naruto's arrival

Naruto and Makarov had both finished off their drinks, the shinobi rising to his feet, his arms raised over his head as a mighty yawn escaped him. Mira was still watching over her siblings, that is when she wasn't peeking over at Naruto. Makarov grinned toothily as he caught the young woman doing just that, the blush on her cheeks traveling down her neck and shoulders as she forced herself to look away.

'Hmmm, I wonder...' Rubbing his chin in thought, Makarov nearly missed Naruto's exit as he slowly made his way towards the guild hall exit.

"Well, I better get going, I need to find a place to crash for the night after all. Speaking of which, what are we going to do about them?" Makarov looked towards his sleeping children, a short bark of laughter passing his lips as he shook his head.

"Don't worry, this wouldn't be the first time they've slept on the floor after a brawl. They'll either sleep till morning or wake up and head home. But as for you, why don't you go clean up in one of the back rooms? There's a place you can shower and change if you've got extra clothes, Mira'll be happy to show you the way!"

Mira spun around, her eyes wide as she stared at the sweaty blonde before her. Naruto crossed his arms over his chest as he watched a bright blush cover the young woman's face, her mouth working soundlessly as Makarov ran from the room, cackling madly. Naruto cocked his head to the side as he observed the brightly blushing girl before him.

'Yep, she's gonna blow up... right about...'

"YOU DAMNED OLD GOAT! I'MMA GONNA KILL YOU!"

'Now... damn you jiji,' Naruto mentally growled, shaking his head as he watched the violently cursing girl before him. 'I suck at handling angry women, you are so getting pranked.' Naruto walked forward and placed his hand on Mira's head, causing the white haired girl to pause as she slowly turned towards him.

"Lesson number one if you're going to hang around me. Never, ever prank me. Leave it to me, I'll get him back for both of us." Naruto smiled as Mira's eyes locked onto his own, an awed expression appearing before Naruto grinned at the girl. "Now, Makarov said something about a shower?" Naruto watched as Mira looked at the blonde nervously, the expression on her face causing Naruto to chuckling internally. After several moments of studying the girl before him, Naruto watched with a smile as Mira quickly made her way towards the back of the hall, an amused Naruto following her sedately. When she reached the door, Mira turned around and began fidgeting with her hands, a habit that caused Naruto to smile fondly as he remembered how Hinata would do the same thing. Reaching his hand out, Naruto patted the nervous girl on the shoulder as he opened the door.

"Thanks Mira-chan, I got it from here." Mira watched intently as Naruto entered the back rooms, the Take Over mage leaning against the wall once the door slid shut. The young girl sighed as she slid to the floor, a predatory grin appearing as Mira looked at the closed door.

"Well, Erza doesn't seem interested in Naruto at all... lucky for me. Now, how can I..."

"SHIT! WHAT THE HELL?!" Mira's gaze focused on the closed door, the young girl rising to her feet and worriedly banging against it.

"Naruto! Are you ok in there?" Moments later the door was wrenched open and a shirtless Naruto exited, a panicked expression on his face as he stared at his forearms. Mira's gaze focused on Naruto's forearms, seeing what she assumed were several intricate tattoo's that reminded her of flames. But when she looked up at Naruto's face, the panic reflected in his gaze caused the young girl to quickly realize that something was very wrong.

"Mira, where's the old man? Something's really wrong here."

End flashback

Mira 's fingers gently traced along the black flames that adorned her lover's skin, wishing that there was something that she could do about them. 'As long as this seals remain, Naruto-kun can't properly access Kurama's chakra. And after he made that discovery regarding the natural energy of our world, I thought he was going to have a breakdown.'

Flashback – Evening of Naruto's arrival

After a tense conversation with Makarov, Naruto had tried every seal that he could think of to remove the flames from his forearms, but every one that he tried was instantly absorbed into the new array that adorned his body. After an hour of futile attempts, Naruto allowed Makarov to study the seal array, hoping to get some kind of answer from the old man. As Makarov's keen eyes studied the array, Naruto watched Mira mixing a drink behind the bar, the young girl glancing towards the pair every so often.

"Well, as far as I can tell," Makarov said. "This 'array' is a mixture of magic and these fuin techniques that you mentioned. I wouldn't even know where to begin with it. And you say you have no idea where it came from?" Naruto sighed as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze focused on the newest seals that covered his body.

"That's right, I never saw them until I took off my shirt. Well that's just great, now I can't use any of my Jinchūriki powers. I still have my healing ability, but it looks like I'm stuck with Sage Mode when the shit hits the fan." Makarov looked at Naruto quizzically as he blinked at the young man before him.

"Sage mode? What's that?" Naruto pulled his feet up, the blonde's body relaxing in a lotus position as his eyes slowly closed. Makarov and Mira both watched as Naruto became completely still, his breathing slowing until he suddenly screamed in agonizing pain, the shinobi falling from his chair as he twitched on the ground feebly before the two wide eyed mages.

"What... the fuck... is wrong with this place?!"

End Flashback

Mira had to suppress a giggle as she remembered how pitiful Naruto had sounded that day. 'We had no idea at the time but, the the Eterano that permeates the air is mixed with the natural energy of our world. It can sustain a mage's magical power, but it can't be used for sage mode. Naruto-kun can filter the natural energy out, but it takes too long to gather, so it's essentially useless in combat. At least Master was finally able to come up with an alternative for... Naruto-kun...' Mira's thoughts slowly trailed off as sleep finally overtook the young woman, the pair of lovers resting peacefully together as the night wore on.

The Next Day

The early morning sun shone through the open curtains, the beam of light striking exactly where Naruto's closed eyes happened to be. A low groan was heard as the tired shinobi focused his chakra, a clone popping into existence. Naruto opened his eyes blearily as he watched his clone yawn and stretch before him. The clone went to the window and quietly closed the curtains before standing in front of Naruto, waiting for further orders.

"You're going into the guild for Mira, we'll be there in the afternoon." It's orders received, the clone tiredly nodded as it activated a henge, turning into a perfect replica of Mirajane. The real Naruto sighed contently as he snuggled closer to the warm body beside him, an action that caused Mira to murmur softly in her sleep as the pair drifted off again.

Several hours later, Naruto opened his eyes, the bare spot before him letting him know that Mira was already up. Rising from his bed, Naruto silently padded into the kitchen, a smile gracing his lips as he leaned against the door frame, observing a softly humming Mira as she moved around the kitchen while preparing breakfast for the pair. As Mira returned to the stove, a smirking Naruto silently advanced, his unsuspecting prey completely unaware of what was approaching. As Naruto neared Mira, he raised his hands and prepared to lunge forward...

"Don't even think about it Naruto-kun. Now," Mira said, her eyes never leaving the cooking food on the stove. "Go and set the table, I'm almost done here." Naruto sighed as he stepped forward, gave Mira a hug good morning a peck on the cheek, and proceeded to set the table as instructed. A few minutes later the pair were seated across from each other, enjoying the meal and catching up on what had been happening over the last few months. As the pair finished their meal, they quickly washed the dishes and got ready for the day. Half an hour later and the duo were slowly making their way towards the Guild Hall, a smiling Mira holding onto Naruto's arm as they passed through the market district. As Naruto looked up, he saw the Mira clone approaching them, her hands full of bags and a smile on her face as she greeted the pair.

"So, how did it go?" Naruto said, accepting the baggage as the clone scoffed lightly.

"Hah, those guys didn't even know the difference. I just flashed'em the same smile that Mira always uses and they were putty in my hands." Naruto grinned as the clone disappeared in a burst of smoke, it's memories causing the blonde to chuckle as the pair continued on their way towards the guild.

"Naruto-kun, I don't know whether to be impressed that you can imitate me so well, or to be creeped out by the fact that you can." Naruto's head quickly turned towards his girlfriend, the betrayed expression he was wearing causing the young woman to giggle.

"Oh, you sneaky little... this is cause I tried to scare you in the kitchen, isn't it?" Mira giggles continued as she squeezed the arm that she was holding onto, the pair slowly separating as they drew closer to the guild. Before they could enter, Naruto grabbed Mira and pulled her into a nearby alleyway, dropping the bags he carried as he held the young mage in his arms. "Mira, don't you think it's time that we tell everyone that we're together? We can't keep hiding this, someone is going to figure it out eventually."

"Have you forgotten," Mira said, a deadpan stare causing Naruto to sweat a little. "Why we don't tell everyone? I seem to recall someone saying that, 'She'll skin me alive if she finds out I'm sleeping with her best friend!'. Now, who could have said such a thing, I wonder..." Mira was cut off as Naruto leaned in and kissed her deeply, the young woman moaning softly as she returned the ardent kiss and rested her head against Naruto's chest.

"Yes, I know I said that, but that was a year ago. I'm sure that she's... oh who am I kidding, she'll still try and kill me." Mira giggled as she gently patted Naruto's arm, the blonde gathering up the dropped items quickly. The pair exited the alley, separately, and entered the Guild Hall, a round of cheers greeting them.

"Hey everyone," Mira said, a smile on her lips as she touched Naruto's shoulder. "Look who I ran into!" As Naruto placed the heavy bags he had been carrying at the bar, he heard several whispered conversations around him.

"Heh, look at that, he's become a glorified gopher. Of course, it'd be hard to say no to Mira-chan if she asked for help."

"Do you think he's been friend-zoned? After all, I never see Mira looking at him any different than the rest of us."

Naruto nearly burst out laughing at the last snippet he heard, his years of shinobi training helping the blonde to keep his mirth off of his face as he helped Mira pull various bottles and groceries out of the bags he had been carrying. Naruto looked out of the corner of his eye and saw Makarov staring at him, a mischievous smile gracing the old man's face as he walked towards the pair.

"Well well, I see you found our late riser Mira. And you even got him to agree to be a pack mule, good job!" Mira giggled as she circled around the bar, putting away the purchased items as the Master leaned towards Naruto, his humorous grin disappearing as Makarov adopted a serious expression.

"So, how did they work out? Any problems?" Naruto pulled his sleeve back a bit, revealing the lacrima studded bracers, their soft glow causing the old man to grin in triumph.

"Nope, they work like a charm. The Sage Bracer fills in about a day or so, but the Biju Bracer fills much more slowly, I'll only use that one for emergencies." Makarov nodded gravely as Naruto tugged his long sleeved shirt back down, covering the softly glowing gems as the pair turned towards the rowdy members of the guild.

"I'm sorry it took so long to find a work around, but the lacrima that we used had to be created from scratch. This is completely untested and we weren't really sure what would happen..." Makarov trailed off, a terror feeling of dread causing the old man to turn around and look at Mirajane's strained smile.

"Master, are you using Naruto as a guinea pig again without knowing the consequences? What did I tell you would happen if I found out about this happening again?" Naruto nervously laughed as Makarov grabbed the blonde and began making his way towards his office.

"Sorry Mira," Makarov said, the diminutive master quickly backing away from the angry bar maid. "I've got important things to discuss with Naruto! We'll continue this conversation... never." Mira glared at the Master but her line of sight was cut off as his door slammed shut, the barmaid's cheeks puffing out as she pouted cutely.

"Mou, that crazy old man..." As Mira began putting away the various beverages the clone had purchased, a visibly smirking Lucy sat at the bar, her elbows resting on the counter as she leaned forward.

"Hey Mirajane! So, I see you came in with Naruto, that must have been some coincidence!" Mira finished putting away the drinks and leaned forward, motioning for Lucy to come closer. The young girl grinned widely as she did so, hoping to hear a juicy secret. Mira looked down the length of the bar, assuring herself that no one was eavesdropping before she began to speak.

"Well, you see, I was out shopping and..." As Mira trailed off, Lucy nodded her head excitedly, waiting on pins and needles for the rest of the story. Mira grinned mischievously, reached over and flicked the young girl in the forehead, eliciting a startled yelp from the receiver of the weak blow. "That's for being nosy, Lucy-chan."

"OW! Mirajane, that wasn't funny!" Mira leaned back, her giggles attracting the attention of several people passing by as she picked up a cloth to wipe down the counter top. Lucy let out a huff as she watched the model working, when she suddenly sat up straight. "Oh yeah! When we were on our way towards Mt Hakobe, Natsu said something that doesn't make a lot of sense. He said Naruto is the Co-Ace of the guild, but he's only as strong as a A class mage? How does that work?" Mira stood tall and nodded sagely, her arms crossing under her breasts as she focused on the question.

"Ah, well Natsu is a little... slow, he doesn't quite understand Naruto's real potential. Everyone who talks to our resident Dragon Slayer says the same thing that you just did. Now, let me ask you something before I answer your question. I know you're a Celestial Spirit Mage, but do you specialize in any other type of magic?"

"Nope, it's just me and my Spirits. Why?" Mira nodded again as she looked towards Makarov's office.

"It's the same for a lot of mages, many of us specialize in one area and that's it. I'm a master of transformation magic, as well as several other types. Master is able to use at least seven different types of magic, that we know of. Naruto is able to successfully use at least six types, each of them as powerful as an A ranked mage. So in a fight where both mages only use a single type of magic, he really is at that level of power. But when you combine all of them, not to mention his physical capabilities then he is much more powerful."

Lucy swallowed loudly as she looked towards the closed door Naruto had entered earlier. "W-what do you mean by 'physical capabilities'?"

"Insanely enhanced speed, strength, agility, proficiency with weaponry, and his ability to create solid clones to assist him in combat. Don't even get me started on his sealing methods, we're still trying to figure out how he can do what he does with those things. And if that wasn't enough, the man has a mind like steel trap, he always has an out or a way to win a fight, no matter how bad his position is. Honestly, if he wanted to he could probably take over as Guild master, he'd be perfect for it." Mira giggled internal at the dumbfounded expression Lucy had, remember how everyone else had reacted when Naruto had told them what he could do all those years ago.

"Is he some kind of prodigy? That's insane!" Just as Lucy was about to continue, the office door opened and Naruto quickly exited the room, a determined look on his face as he walked towards one of the far tables in the guild hall. Mira sighed as she placed a delicate hand on her cheek. "Uh oh, looks like Naruto's received a new mission. I recognize that look, this can't be good."

* * *

><p>Naruto exited the office, his eyes raking back and forth across the people before him until he found his quarry. As Naruto strode across the guild hall, he stopped at a table and nodded at the occupants.<p>

"Bisca, Alzack, I need both of you to help with a job." The pair of gunslingers nodded curtly, stood and exited the guild. Naruto spun around and came face to face with Elfman, the large man looking down at the shorter Naruto with a neutral expression.

"Naruto-san, if you need assistance, I volunteer my help as a Man." Naruto's eyes narrowed as he opened his mouth wide, but out of the corner of his eye he saw Mira's hands clasp together, causing the shinobi to sigh angrily.

"No thanks Elfman, we'll be fine." Brushing by the large man, Naruto walked towards the bar and flashed Mira an apologetic smile as he sat down for a moment.

"I'm sorry that we haven't had time to catch up, this is an emergency job and it should be done in a week or so, after that I'm not taking anything else for a while." Mira lowered her hands and stared at Naruto, the shinobi sighing as he placed his hands on the bar, meeting Mira's hopeful gaze with a stubborn look.

"I know what you want to say and I'm sorry, the answer is still no." Turning away abruptly, Naruto stormed out of the guild, a confused Lucy looking towards Mirajane for an explanation about what had just happened. Mira sighed as she closed her eyes, trying to find the best way to explain the situation.

"Naruto and Elfman... they don't get along very well. I've tried to get Naruto to work past it but..." Mira sat down heavily on a stool behind the bar, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes as she watched a visibly saddened Elfman exit the guild, his posture and stride showing his dejection with each step.

Magnolia Train Station

Naruto's hands were thrust into his sage jacket, the shinobi waiting patiently for the rest of his team to arrive. When Bisca and Alzack finally made it , the pair stood before the senior mage, waiting to hear what the mission was.

"We've got a big problem, it's a emergency mission that was specifically sent to me. For years, the council has been hearing about a group of dark mages that finds ancient artifacts and sells them to the highest bidder, regardless of how destructive or dark they are. The meeting sites change constantly so they are never caught, but the council finally got someone on the inside and now we know where the next meet will be. We're going in to seize all the artifacts and hold the criminals until the council arrives. Are you two ready for this?" Alzack looked over at his partner, a determined expression meeting his gaze. Turning back towards Naruto, Alzack nodded firmly.

"Lead the way Naruto, we're with you."

* * *

><p>So, read, review, let me know how you like it!<p> 


	4. Chapter 3

And here we go! Some more of my insanity for you guys to read and hopefully enjoy. If oyu haven't already, drop me a review, especially if you're following or have added the story to your favorites.

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><p><span>The next day – Crocus<span>

A cool breeze blew it's way through the large city, the cooler northern air helping to relieve the oppressive heat of the capital. Naruto breathed in the cool breeze deeply, a smile touching his lips as he looked over the multitude of buildings laid out before him. His hand reaching out, Naruto pointed at the dilapidated opera house across the street before turning back to his partners for this mission.

"There it is, Crocus' Old Opera House. That's where the auction is currently located." Both of the Guns Magic mages crept forward, looking at the large building before them. Alzack turned back to their team leader, an expression of surprise causing Naruto grin.

"An auction for dark artifacts in the capital? That's insane, this is the last place they should have this set up! You'd think they're not even worried that they would be caught..." Naruto chuckled as he pulled a scroll from his pack, laying the parchment on the roof top and weighing the corners down with several kunai.

"That's the beauty of it Alzack," Naruto said, a tone of admiration leaking into his words. "No one would ever suspect it. But, if you have the balls and expertise to pull it off, this is the best way to fly under the radar... also, it doesn't help that they have someone with deep pockets that 'helps' the local law to avoid this area. But, their luck has finally run out." Bisca's eyes narrowed as she watched several patrols, some of them guarding the front of the building as well as others that passed by the expansive windows that adorned the building.

"Looks like we've got a lot of company this time. Maybe we should have brought Elfman along, he's good in a fight..." Bisca trailed off at the sound of crumbling stonework, the sniper looking over her shoulder as Naruto pulling his hand from a newly formed hole in the wall. Alzack looked over at his partner, placing a silencing hand on her shoulder as Naruto focused on the two gunslingers.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine. Now, get over here, we've got some planning to do."

Chapter 3

Fairy Tail Guild Hall

"I remember what you told me yesterday, Mira." Lucy said, the young woman picking at the food she had ordered. "But why don't Naruto and Elfman get along?" Mirajane froze, the glass she had been polishing clutched between her hands as she took a deep breath. Placing the glassware on the counter, Mira motioned for Lucy to follow her, the curious Celestial Spirit Mage following the retreating barmaid swiftly.

As the pair passed through a set of large doors, Lucy's eyes widened happily as she stared at the multitude of books before her. A lone girl was in the Library, Fairy Tail's Solid Script mage, Levi. The young woman could be found here when not relaxing with her friends and teammates, Levi always saying the same thing when asked why she spent so much time in the library. "They just call to me, all those books... so much knowledge that I need to read!" As the solid script mage climbed down the ladder, she caught sight of the new arrivals, smiling brightly as she ran forward.

"Mira! Lucy-chan! What can I do for you?" Levi's expression shifted from happy to concerned in a moment, the somber look in Mira's eyes causing Levi to worry about her friend.

"Levi, could I have you leave the library for a little while? I've got some things I need to share with Lucy about the history of our guild." Levi nodded slowly, placing a comforting hand on Mira's arm before exiting the library. Once the doors were closed once more, Mira motioned to a pair of comfortable chairs, the two young woman sitting as they looked at each other in silence.

Mira leaned forward, a a warm smile appearing as she broke the silence. "Three years ago, Naruto fell into our laps, literally. No one was sure where he came from, just that one day he appeared, trashed our guild when Natsu started a fight with him, and knocked everyone else out. The master came home and after discussing the circumstances, Naruto was invited to join Fairy Tail. Within the first few months, many of our members had realized that he had a flair for tactics, many thought that his off the wall or just plain insane plans were doomed to failure, but they all ended up working for some strange reason. He became the person that was consulted any time a really dangerous mission came up. And he was good at it, he gained the trust of everyone."

Crocus

Naruto leaned over the parchment he had placed on the ground, the floor plans of the Opera house laid out before the trio as they discussed their roles in the operation. "Bisca, I'll take out the patrols on the third floor, creating a dead spot that you can use as a sniper position. I'll also be posting two henge'd clones to protect you, just in case there's a change in patrols. After you've gotten a clear line of sight on the targets, hold your position until you see my signal." Bisca nodded, the guns magic mage checking her weapons once more before the operation began.

"Alzack, you're going to be coming in on their flanks, making sure that the boss of this auction doesn't escape. Don't reveal yourself unless you need to stop him from escaping, even if it seems like I'm in trouble, understood?" A terse nod from Alzack caused Naruto to grin, the blonde standing tall as he began stretching.

Alzack and Bisca looked at each other, the young man asking the question that they both wanted the answer to. "Naruto," Alzack said, the young man glancing over at Bisca before he continued speaking. "What exactly will you be doing?" Naruto looked down at the still crouching pair, his smirk causing the pair to gulp.

"Me? I'm the distraction. Now, get comfortable, we're not moving before three am, you two better get some sleep."

Fairy Tail Library

"So for a year, Naruto went on any and every job he could find, if anyone needed a hand he was there to help them. And all that time, he always had time for me, Elfman and... and Lisanna." Mira's face fell, the ivory haired beauty staring at her hands as she began to slowly started to shed tears. Lucy leaned forward, took the barmaid's hands in her own and squeezed lightly.

"Mira, who's Lisanna? Why are you crying?" Mira freed one of her hands, wiping angrily at her tears and taking a deep breath, composing herself before she continued.

"Lisanna... she was my little sister. She died two years ago on a mission. Naruto watched her die, h-he was too late to save her. And the reason she's dead... is because of an accident involving Elfman."

Crocus – Early morning

Naruto watched as he clones landed lightly on the far away roof of the opera house, the shinobi's eyes narrowing as they disappeared inside the building. Several tense minutes later, the same pair of clones appeared in one of the windows, his confident grin and corny thumbs up causing Naruto and Bisca to breath a sigh of relief. Naruto grabbed Bisca in his arms and leaped silently into the air, the shinobi landing softly on the distant roof. As the second clone reappeared and guided Bisca to her final destination, Naruto jogged across the roof, looking below as Alzack managed to sneak in through the rear of the building.

"Knew it was a good idea to bring these two. Ok, show time."

**'Do I get to come out and play?'** Naruto sighed as he dove into his seal, his head craning upwards as he looked into the half lidded eyes of his partner, Kurama.

"Sorry furball, I may be able to use your chakra again, but it takes such a long time to gather it that I'm saving it for emergencies." A low rumbling sound shook the ground gently before Kurama closed his eyes, his snout resting on his paws.

"**Bah, this sucks. This world has done nothing but hinder us since we've arrived."** Naruto reached out a hand and patted his partner gently, causing Kurama to open one of it's eyes in confusion. **"Hmm?"**

"Don't worry, someday soon I'm sure we'll be kicking ass together again, just wait for me, ok partner?" Kurama sighed loudly as Naruto vanished from his sight, the shinobi blinked his eyes rapidly before he looked over the edge of the opera house's rooftop, the sight below him causing Naruto to grin. A pair of guards were standing right below him, chatting quietly as they took a break. Naruto smirked as he stepped off of the building and plummeted towards the ground.

* * *

><p>"The mistakes of the past shall rise once more to enrich our future." From the moment of it's creation, this had been the motto of the guild Rising Phoenix, it's sole purpose; discovering the ancient knowledge and magics that had been lost, returning humanity's former glory to it people. Seekers of the old ways, treasure hunters and wise sages flocked to the guild of knowledge, hoping to discover a clue to the past that could aid humanity's future.<p>

But, the council saw nothing but a group of opportunistic thieves, acquiring priceless and dangerous artifacts in their pursuit of knowledge. On the day that his guild was disbanded, the guild master, Bartalemao, swore that he would rise from the ashes of his former guild. He also promised that the council would regret their decision.

Bartalemao stood on the stage of the latest stop of the Devil's Auction, a Dark Mage's wildest dream. Locations to ancient sites of power, lost tomes and magics, forbidden knowledge in it's purest form. All of it available... to anyone who was willing to pay. Bartalemao was now known as the Auction Master, the person that had the final say in all matters concerning the enterprise were his alone. The amoral man smirked evilly, his eyes slowly drifted over the latest batch of dark artifacts that had been acquired as he began calculating just how much he could get from the horde before him. Suddenly, the sound of a door being kicked in woke him from his stupor, the head of the Devil's Auction looking up in surprise as a tall blonde haired man strolled into sight, a look of relief on his face.

"Finally, real live people! Do you know how hard it is to find a bathroom in this part of town at this hour? So, if you could just point me in the right direction, I'll be out of... hang on, what's going on here?" Bartalemao watched in silent surprise as the blonde walked towards the stage, a childlike smile of glee spreading as he closed in on the gathered artifacts.

"Wow! This is a Sword of Desolation! It's said to contain a spell that can destroy anything within a mile of it's user. And a Staff of Subjugation! Talk about rare stuff! What's happening here Ossan? Is this some sorta club for owners of rare artifacts or something?"

The Auction Master folded his arms over his chest as he watched his men closing in on the intruder. "Something that you should not have seen, boy. I'm afraid that finding a bathroom is the least of your worries at the moment."

The blonde man cocked an eyebrow as he watched the approaching men, many of which had magic seals appearing before them as they neared their target. "Aw, don't be like that. If you threaten me like this, then I've got to retaliate, and that never ends well for you guys. So how about this, you surrender peacefully and we talk this out?" A chorus of laughter caused the blonde to shrug. "Yeah, I thought that it sounded stupid as well, but I have to give you the chance to give up."

The Auction Master's eyes narrowed as he studied the man before him once more, a niggling suspicion growing in his mind. "And why is that?"

The blonde grinned savagely as it raised a fist. "Because otherwise I'd get in trouble when I do this. Bunshin Daibakuha!" The Auction Master's eyes widened as the blonde glowed brightly for a moment before he exploded. The leader of the illegal auction threw his arms up as the blast wave neared him, his magic glowing around him as he tried to cast a spell of protection but it was too late, the once proud guild leader was thrown bodily across the room like a rag doll.

Screams and yelling echoed in the man's ears as he saw his men milling about in confusion, many of them wounded as they had been right by the blast. When amidst the confusion, the Auction Master saw a shadow appear behind several of his uninjured henchmen. The wounded man raised his arm shakily, trying to get the attention of his men, even as he realized that it was too late. Blasts of magical energy were fired from a balcony that should have been clear and guarded, Bartalemao's men falling to the ground amidst further explosions while others fell to the shadowy man behind them.

"Dammit woman! Stop blowing them up, we need a few of them to talk!" Bartalemao shakily rose to his feet, the injured man limping towards the exit as quickly as he could while his men fell to the duo.

'If I can just get outside, I can...' The Auction Master's train of thought was swiftly derailed as the cold metal barrel of a magic revolver pressed firmly against his forehead, causing the man to freeze in terror. The sound of the revolver's hammer cocking echoed loudly in Bartalemao's ears, causing him to stay absolutely still.

"Sorry, but I think we need to have a few words with you. If you could please go back inside, Naruto will be with you in just a moment."

Several minutes later

Naruto was whistling jauntily as he continued to truss up the captured dark mages, the groans of the wounded not even fazing him as he tightened the ropes. "Too tight? Well you should have thought about that before you attacked me." The blonde shinobi stood swiftly, turning towards the seated Auction Master and flashing him a grin. "So, rather than torture you for information, how about you show me where you keep your logs, books, whatever you call them. I'll make sure to let the council know you were cooperative, it may make'em more lenient on you." Naruto watched as the injured man painfully crossed his arms over his chest, defying the blonde as he neared him. Naruto knelt down, looked the leader of the illegal auction in the eye and stared at him. Several moments passed, when suddenly the man glanced at a crate to the right, a smiling Naruto rising to his feet and striding towards it, still whistling happily.

Bisca smirked as she elbowed Alzack in the ribs. "Is it just me, or is Naruto enjoying their suffering just a little too much?" Alzack chuckled softly as the pair watched Naruto searching the contents of the crate.

Moments later, the blonde found the ledger that had been kept, it's bindings filled with the names of buyers of the worst kind of artifacts possible. As the blonde scanned the ledger, a item near the back stood out from the rest, the shinobi's blood running cold as the ledger snapped shut. Striding back towards the auction master, Naruto ignored the worried questions from Alzack and Bisca as he grabbed the injured man by his shirt, hoisted him up and glared at the now petrified man.

"Who bought lot number 625? WHO!" When Naruto didn't get an answer, he flung the terrified man against a crate, the wounded man crumpling to the ground painfully. Naruto strode forward, pulling the groaning man up and slamming him on top of the crate, a kunai appearing in his hand as he spun it around.

"One more time, who bought lot number 625." The terrified man shook his head, his eyes widening in fear as Naruto raised his kunai over his head and slammed the knife home, it's hardened metal blade biting deeply in to the wooden slats of the crate right next to his ear.

"Last chance! WHO. BOUGHT..."

"Eisenwald! It was Eisenwald!" Naruto let out a deep breath, stowing his kunai as he dropped the sniveling man to the ground. Looking over at his wide eyed teammates, the blonde could only shrug.

"Sorry 'bout that. Sometimes, 'aggressive interrogation' is needed to loosen the tongue. But now we've got a bigger problem. Look at this." Tossing the ledger towards Alzack, the young man quickly skimmed the pages until he found the Lot number Naruto had mentioned, his eyes widening as he looked up in shock. "Yeah, the genius here sold the location of Zeref's Lullaby to a Dark Guild that likes to kill people. Fan-fucking-tastic."

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, the Rune Knights had finished the removal of all the artifacts and the imprisonment of the dark mages was underway. Naruto had spoken with the Head Captain, Lahar, about the situation and was currently in the Captain's temporary office, the shinobi rubbing his chin slowly as he studied the map hung on the wall. Moments later, Lahar entered the room, his hands holding a folder that he was slowly leafing through.<p>

"Our latest intelligence puts Eisenwald's location somewhere near Oshibana. There have been no sightings of their leadership in..." Lahar's voice trailed off as his assistant burst into the room, the heavily breathing man taking a moment before he delivered his message.

"Eisenwald has taken over the Oshibana Train Station Hostage. A team from Fairy Tail is on the scene, but no knows what is occurring inside the building at this time." Naruto spun on his heel, his long strides taking him out of the building until he found Bisca and Alzack.

"I need you two to get back to the guild, I'm going after Eisenwald. I can travel much faster alone, and it looks like I'll have some backup in case I need it." Before Naruto left, Lahar and his assistant exited the building to see him off. Pausing for a moment, Naruto turned back towards the man that had delivered the message.

"Did the reports say what team from Fairy Tail was at the train station?"

"Apparently a new one," The assistant said while consulting the original message. "Consisting of Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster and Erza Scarlet." As soon as Naruto learned the name the final member, he raised his eyes to the heavens.

"Dammit, what the hell did I ever do to you? Huh! She's gonna try and kill me, I just know she will." As Naruto disappeared in a burst of high speed, Lahar turned towards Alzack and Bisca, a concerned expression on his face.

"Is there some kind of problem between Naruto-san and Erza-san?" Alzack and Bisca looked at each other, both laughing nervously before they walked off, leaving a very confused Head captain behind.

Just outside of town

**'You do know it'll take hours to get there, right?'** Naruto let out a soft bark of laughter, pulled up his sleeve and exposed his Sage Bracer.

"Well, time for a long distance test than. Lets see how long we can make this last, Sennin Modo!" A magic seal appeared around Naruto's wrist and he was suddenly filled with Natural energy once more, his pupils changing as the marks of a true sage appearing around his eyes. The empowered shinobi accelerated dramatically, a massive trail of dust was thrown into the air as he continued to accelerate. "Next stop, Oshibana!"

One hour later

Naruto skidded to a halt in front of the Oshibana train station, the shinobi cocking his head to the side as he looked at the massive wall of wind covering the structure. "Huh, that's not something you see everyday."

"Dammit, I've been robbed!" Naruto turned away from the wind covered building, a slightly sick feeling forming in his gut as he drew closer to the man that was screaming. "This girl in armor burst in, said that it was a matter or life and death and stole a Four-Wheeler!" Naruto groaned, having a pretty good idea where this was going.

"Hey Ossan," Naruto said, the shinobi rubbing his temples as a headache started to form. "Did the person that stole the Four-Wheeler have long red hair?" As the man nodded rapidly, Naruto raised his fist to the heavens and growled loudly in frustration before dropping his arm to his sides. "Ok, send a bill to Fairy Tail. Damned impetuous... how long ago did this happen? And which way did she head?"

"Just a few minutes ago! And they were following the train tracks, you can't miss'em!" The owner of the Four-Wheeler shop paused for a moment as his eyes narrowed slightly. "Wait, you mean to tell me she's a member of Fairy Tail? Hang on a second... red hair... armored mage... could she have been Erza Scarlet?" Naruto sighed as he held a hand over his eyes, nodding slowly.

"Yeah, that's her. I better go catch up, this could get ugly." One violent burst of wind later and Naruto was speeding out of the town, his Sage mode still going strong as he raced down the train tracks. A few minutes later, Naruto saw the Four-Wheeler ahead of him and he leaped into the air, landing in front of the vehicle and launching himself forward. Moments later Naruto heard a scream of rage from behind him, causing the Shinobi to glance over his shoulder.

Apparently, the Four-Wheeler driver had gotten a second wind, evidenced by the fact that the vehicle was slowly catching up. Looking into the eyes of the driver, Naruto grinned cockily at Erza, gave her a mock salute before turning forward and racing down the tracks.

"NARUTO! KISAMA!"

With Natsu and Erigor

Natsu's powerful flames propelled the young man forward, a flame coated kick sending Erigor crashing to the ground. As the Shinigami from Eisenwald slowly stood, he watched as Natsu closed in, his flames burning brightly from the anger the Dragon Slayer displayed. Thrusting his arm towards the ground, Erigor launched himself into the sky, his free hand quickly flowing through several handsigns.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, you pest! STORM BRINGER!" Natsu's eyes widened as the attack closed in on him, but it was already too late to dodge it. Crossing his arms in front of him, Natsu prepared for the tornado that was being dropped on him, when fate decided to intervene..

"FUTON: DAITOPPA!" A powerful blast of wind intercepted the tornado, both attacks pushing violently against each other before they canceled each other out in a burst of wind. Natsu grinned widely as he saw a shadowed figure approaching him slowly through the dust.

"YO! Naruto, when did you get here?" As the dust cleared, the grinning visage of Naruto was revealed, his eyes focused on the growling man hovering in the air.

"I heard a rumor that these guys were going to find Lullaby... and look at that, there it is. Looks like I made the right choice in coming here. So, think you can finish him off Natsu?" A loud growl was the dragon slayer's response, one that caused Naruto to laugh loudly. With another burst of speed, Naruto positioned himself on the side of the tracks heading into Clover Town. "All right, I'll stay right here," Naruto said, his arms folded over his chest. "But, if you lose I'm taking him down. Have fun, kid."

With Erza and the Others

"Gray... why did Erza call Naruto a bastard?" Gray noticed that Lucy's gaze was focused on their driver, a driver that was swearing profusely as the raced down the train tracks. The dark Mage Kage, an unwitting passenger on the Four-Wheeler, cowered at the back of the vehicle, completely cowed by the violent aura that was being given off by Erza.

"That rat bastard! Shitty pissant! When I catch him I'm gonna chop off his balls and..." Lucy's eyes widened as the requip mage continued on her litany when Erza suddenly growled loudly in frustration, the celestial spirit mage feeling the Four-Wheeler lurching forward as it picked up speed once more. Lucy focused her gaze on Gray once more, the ice mage sighing at the questioning gaze he was being given.

"Well, about a year ago..."

"IT WAS TEN MONTHS AGO! IF YOU'RE GOING TO TELL IT TO SOMEONE, GET IT RIGHT!" Gray froze at the demonic sounding voice that came from Erza's throat, the ice make mage shivering as he backed away from the drivers seat.

"Right! Right, it was ten months ago...

Flashback – Ten months ago

The beginning of summer in Magnolia is a beautiful time of year, and this day was no different. The members of Fairy Tail were enjoying the wonderful day as they always did, with an overabundance of drinking, laughter and time with their family. A dusty looking Naruto strolled into the guild, patting down his clothing as he watched the rambunctious atmosphere before him with a grin. "Ah, nothing like relaxing after some early morning training."

But before Naruto could approach the bar, a nervous looking Erza appeared before the shinobi, her hands clasped to her chest as she blocked the entrance to the guild. "Um, Naruto... I need to talk to you. It's really important." Naruto smiled as he ruffled Erza's scarlet hair, the action causing the girl to blush faintly.

"Sure thing Erza-chan, what's up?"

"Well, I... I mean we... gah, why is this so hard! Dammit Naruto, I want you to be my boyfriend! Take me out on a date!" Naruto's jaw dropped at the demanding confession, his gaze flicking towards the bar nervously as he watched an ominous black aura surround Mirajane, the barmaid squeezing the glass she had be polishing in her hands tightly.

"Uh... well, I can't say I'm not flattered, but I'm sorry Erza, I can't go on a date with you. You see..." Naruto was cut off as Erza stepped closer, the shinobi stiffening up as Erza jabbed an armored finger into his sternum.

"Why not? We all know you don't have a girlfriend, we're both S-Class mages and we both love to fight, we're perfect for each other!" Naruto gulped loudly as he heard the sound of glass breaking, the glowing form of Mirajane causing Naruto to sweat lightly as he watched a strange mist form around her body.

**'Ah shit, we are at Red Alert, pissed of girlfriend off the starboard bow! Abort! Evade! DAMMIT GAKI, DO SOMETHING!'**

"Well, you see... I… " Naruto trailed off as Erza continued to glare at him, her arms crossed against her armored chest as she waited for his explanation. And once again, the dreaded Uzumaki foot in the mouth disease struck, setting off a chain of events that would have far reaching consequences. "Already... have... one?" Erza's jaw dropped, as well as the jaws of everyone else in the room at the revelation.

"No way!"

"Awesome, I won the pot!"

"Sweet, I've finally got a chance with Mira!"

**'Oh kami, we are SO boned.'**

Naruto watched warily as a smile began to slowly tug at Erza's lips, the young woman trembling slightly as her own dark aura appeared. "Oh, I see... s-so, when can I m-meet her? After all, I have to make sure that she's good enough for you." Naruto began to sweat, his mind racing as he tried to figure a way out of Erza's latest demand when a thunderous crack echoed through the guild hall, the bar counter having somehow broken in half. Naruto watched the massive slab of wood slam into the ground, the furious glare of Mira causing the man to agree with his container.

'Ah shit. Escape plan Delta?'

**'Delta? I'd think you'd wanna go with Epsilon, it's more likely to succeed.'**

'Dammit Kurama, where am I going to find a parade at this time of year? The Harvest Festival is months away! Not to mention, I need a midget to pull it off successfully!'

**'Hmmm, you do have a good point there, I forgot about the midget. How about... hey, is it just me or has it gotten a lot darker out there all of the sudden? Oh shit... gaki? I think she's pissed off that you're ignoring her...'**

Naruto stopped focusing on his conversation with his partner, his gaze only seeing Erza's blazing aura as it reached epic proportions, the shinobi realizing that the time to escape was now.

'Screw it! Omega it is!' Raising his hands in a cross hand sign, Naruto launched himself away from the towering inferno of female rage, the shinobi skidding across the street as he executed his technique. "TAJU KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

End flashback

"And so, Naruto successfully escaped in the confusion caused by several thousand copies of himself running around town. And ever since then, whenever Erza sees him, she gets mad that he wouldn't agree with her idea to go out with her and goes ape shit on his ass."

A loud, "I DO NOT!" caused Gray to immediately clam up as Lucy's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Wait, so Naruto isn't scared of Erza at all? He seemed more afraid of this 'girlfriend' he mentioned?" A silent shake of Gray's head caused Lucy to hum softly, her delicate fingers stroking her chin as she thought about the situation.

As Lucy continued to stay lost in her thoughts, she never noticed that the Four Wheeler had stopped suddenly until she heard Erza being screaming again.

"Naruto you bastard! Get over here, you and I have a lot to talk about!" Lucy watched as Naruto chuckled nervously, shrugged at the redhead mage and took off towards Clover Town, a trail of dust following him as he ran once more. 'Dammit, stop ignoring me, Naruto!"

Sighing loudly, Erza climbed off of the vehicle and walked towards Natsu, an impressed expression appearing as she examined the unconscious Erigor at his feet.

"So, did you do this on your own, Natsu, or did Naruto help?" As Natsu launched into a description of the fight, Erza began to sway at her feet but Lucy and Gray both caught her, steadying the young woman. Looking downwards, Erza scowled as she focused on the skull topped flue that had caused this entire mess.

But before she could even think about grabbing the dark artifact, she heard the engine of the Four-Wheeler start up, the large machine speeding towards them. As everyone dove out of the way of the vehicle, a shadowy hand appeared, grabbing Lullaby and placing into the hands of a cackling Kage, the Dark mage crowing in triumph as he sped towards Clover town. Erza struggled to her feet, the younger mages looking towards her in shock.

"After him! We can't let him kill the Guild Masters!"

* * *

><p>Naruto was relaxing on top of the the building that the Masters were meeting in, a silently smoking Makarov seated beside the shinobi.<p>

"And you're sure that it was Lullaby? Not just some kind of knock off?" Naruto shuddered for a moment and nodded.

"Yeah, I could feel dark magic rolling off of it, it gave me the creeps. Hey, there's the Four-Wheeler... wait, that's not Erza. Who is that?" Naruto leaned forward, focusing on the heavily bandaged figure in the drivers seat. After a moment Naruto cocked an eyebrow as shook his head. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was one of my old shinobi buddies, Shikamaru. But, since we're in a different dimension, I'm gonna guess that's not him. Wait... aw shit, he's got Lullaby, he's gotta be part of Eisenwald!" Before Naruto could stand, Makarov grasped the mages arm and shook his head.

"Nah, you've had a long day, I'll handle him." Naruto watched as Makarov leaped atop the still Four-Wheeler, scaring the shit out of the bandaged man. The old master spoke several words to the young man that Naruto couldn't hear, but the shinobi's eyes narrowed as he watched the Eisenwald member raise Lullaby to his lips. A kunai appeared in his hand, the shinobi preparing to throw the weapon when he felt a shift in the night air, a sliver of Makarov's power slipping free and causing the young man to tense up. As the flute fell away from his lips, Naruto watched the old man continue speaking to the Dark Mage, the shinobi grinning as he saw the deadly flute fall to the ground.

Natsu and the others burst out of the shrubs surrounding the house, gathering around Makarov and celebrating loudly. 'Well, looks like everything worked out well in the end. Guess I should go say hi to the Masters, it's been a while since I've seen most of them.'

"YOU MAGES HAVE NO GUTS." Naruto blinked slowly, his attention focused on the now smoking Lullaby, the deep demonic voice coming from the item freezing everyone in their tracks. Naruto leaped to the ground, a now furious Erza recovering quickly as the requip mage pointed at the shinobi angrily, when Naruto cut her tirade off.

"Now is not the time Erza! Deal with the demonic sounding flute now, bitch at me later!"

**'That's assuming there IS a later, gaki.' **

'Stow it Kurama, it's so not the time for that defeatist shit!'

"I CAN'T HOLD IT ANY LONGER, I'LL JUST EAT YOU MYSELF." As smoke spewed forth from the skull shaped flute, Lucy hid behind Naruto fearfully as the haze began to form a shape above them... a very large shape. Naruto whistled loudly as he stared upwards, his gaze filled with the body of the Demon Lullaby.

"Wow, you're kinda... puny. I was expecting you to be bigger." A loud roar silenced Naruto, the shinobi waving a hand slowly before his nose. "Oh kami, and do you need a breath mint!"

"I'M STARVING TO DEATH, SO I'M GOING TO EAT YOUR SOULS."

"Naruto," Lucy said, the Celestial Spirit mage peeking out from behind her human meat shield. "Where did that monster come from?" Before the shinobi could answer, he saw an other Guild Master step forward, Quatro Cerberus' Goldmine, to provide the answer.

"The monster is Lullaby itself, it's made through living magic. The magic that Zeref used. Long time no see Naruto, sucks about the circumstances." As Goldmine finished speaking, Bob of Blue Pegasus pipped up.

"Oh Naruto, good to see you. Who knew that we'd be paying for the darkest of all Mage's mistakes hundreds of years after he died."

"NOW, WHO'S SOUL DO I GET TO EAT FIRST?" As all the mages looked at each other, Erza pointed at Naruto, the shinobi glaring at the woman and laughed sardonically.

"Oh yes, eat me, I would love to volunteer. Actually that's probably a bad idea, you'd most likely get indigestion... or burn up form the inside out from the powers I use, either or."

"SILENCE. I HAVE DECIDED, I WILL CONSUME YOU ALL, RIGHT NOW!"

"FŪTON: ATSUGAI!" Lucy screamed loudly as a large blast of wind flew towards Lullaby, the dense sphere of wind chakra shearing off the demon's arm. The gathered mages watched as the appendage fell to the ground, the mages all looking towards the normally cheerful shinobi with wide eyed stares. Naruto stared back, shruging his shoulders as he jerked a thumb towards then apparently shocked demon. "What? He was pissing me off! LET'S KICK HIS ASS!"

Gray and Natsu both ran forward, their battle cries echoing across the wooded area, while Erza leaped to the sky, her Heaven's Wheel armor surrounded by magical blades. Naruto grinned cockily as he watched Lullaby back away, it's uncertainty evident as he watched the charging mages.

"MAYBE THIS WAS A BAD IDEA."

* * *

><p>And that's a wrap! Till next time!<p> 


	5. Chapter 4

Rejoice, for another chapter is now available! Heh, I had about half of this already written for chapter three originally but it kinda grew to be larger than I intended, which according to your reviews is a good thing, ost people seemed to enjoy the silliness. SO! Onward! This chapter is a bit more dramatic, people are asking about what happened between Naruto and Elfman, so here it is! Read, review, tell me what I've done well and what sucks! Otherwise, how can I make it better?

* * *

><p>The burning sands of the desert brought a fond smile to Naruto's face, his mind remembering his friends from Suna. 'Temari, Kankuro... Garra.' A sigh escaped the shinobi as he followed the group before him, an all to happy Natsu leading them towards the nearest town.<p>

"What's wrong Naruto-san?" Naruto glanced over, a concerned Lucy studying the man that walked beside her.

"Nothing Lucy-chan, just old memories of friends... friends I haven't seen for a long time." Naruto offered the young mage a comforting smile as the pair continued to walk in silence.

"Ano..." Naruto looked over once more, a nervous expression having replaced Lucy's earlier concern. "Before we went after Lullaby, I spoke with Mirajane, I wanted to know why you and Elfman didn't get along. Mira said that I should ask you for the full story."

Naruto sighed as the group finally reached the outskirts of Kunugi, the seven members of Fairy Tail deciding that it was in their best interests to skirt around Oshibana after Naruto related his experience with the Four-Wheeler's owner. Looking over at the young woman, Naruto's gaze narrowed, causing the Lucy to fidget.

"Alright, once we get on the train, you and I will find a quiet place to talk."

Chapter 4

As the train rapidly raced down the tracks, Lucy was staring out the window as the scenery flew by, a small frown appearing as she remembered what had happened once she and her friends had boarded the train.

Flashback – 15 minutes earlier

"Absolutely not! I forbid it! Lucy shouldn't be alone with you, who knows what you'll do to her! None of my team is going to be going with you, it'd be best of you go find your own seat somewhere else on the train!" Naruto sighed loudly, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared at the fuming Erza, his expression decidedly bored as he yawned loudly.

"I'm sorry, I must have missed the memo where you control my life. LUCY asked me for some information, I am going to give it to her. Unless, you'd rather do it, that is."

"Absolutely! Anything that Lucy could ever need to know about Fairy Tail can be answered by Natsu, Gray or myself!" Naruto's expression turned thoughtful, the blonde stroking his chin a few times before nodding slowly.

"Alright then, you get to tell her what happened the night I arrived to find Elfman transformed into a mindless Beast, and the aftermath that took place." Quickly spinning around, Naruto began to walk towards the end of the car, but a hand gripping the back of his shirt stopped the man in his tracks. Turning his head over his shoulder, Naruto saw Erza's bowed head, her hand gripping his clothing tightly as her shoulders shook. Turning back around, Naruto gently placed his hands on Erza's shoulders, his voice soft as he spoke to the woman before him.

"Now you understand why I have to tell her, right?" Erza's head bobbed up and down slowly, a sigh escaping Naruto's lips as he ruffled the woman's hair softly. Looking up, Naruto saw that Lucy, Gray and Natsu were all staring at the pair in wide eyed wonder at the scene before them. Motioning with his head towards the car behind him, Lucy quickly passed by a still Erza, looking over her shoulder for a moment at her team before exiting the car.

End Flashback

Lucy sighed, the reaction that Naruto had caused in Erza after mentioning the event causing the blonde to have second thoughts at learning the story, that is until a nearby voice intruded on her conflicted thoughts.

"So, I couldn't find a food car," Naruto said, a pile of wrapped packaged falling gently to the table before the shinobi sat across from the celestial spirit mage. "But I did find a cart full of snacks, dig in." Lucy reached her hand forward, a chocolate cake grasped delicately in her hands as a wicked gleam appeared in her eye.

"Yes, this will do nicely..." Naruto snickered loudly as he grabbed his own snack, the shinobi watching intently as the young girl wolfed down the treat, a sigh of contentment causing Naruto to shake his head merrily.

"Ok, chocolate cake is a good ice breaker with you, got it. So, you had questions... questions about 'That night', correct?" As Lucy nodded slowly, a sigh passed Naruto's lips as he leaned back in his chair, his eyes losing their focus as he remembered what had occurred.

"Well, to start off, two years ago I was being used by the council for most of their top secret missions, real shadowy stuff. Any time I had in between a mission was spent with the members of Fairy Tail, helping out on their missions or lazing around the guild. It was fun, it seemed like we were on top of the world and nothing could touch us." Naruto's eyes hardening as he focused on Lucy, a shiver traveling down the young girls spine at the intense look thrown her way.

"We were wrong."

Flashback – 2 years ago

Naruto leaned against the bar, a content smile tugging at his lips as he gazed around the guild hall, his fellow guild members laughing loudly as they did what they did best, living their lives to the fullest. Looking over to his right, Naruto laughed silently as he watched Makarov chug his beer, the old man letting out a content sigh before flashing the shinobi a ear to ear grin. 'Heh, it's almost enough to make me forget about wanting to go back to Konoha...'

"Naruto-nii!" Naruto turned towards the exuberant voice of Lisanna, the young take over mage having thrown herself towards the content shinobi while giggling loudly. Naruto wrapped him arms around the lithe girl before him, squeezing her tightly against him before standing tall.

"Lisanna! What's my favorite little trouble maker getting up to now?" Lisanna giggled cutely while Mirajane approached the pair, her sultry smile causing Naruto smirk confidently at the girl before him. "Mirajane. A pleasure to see you again, did you miss me?" Mirajane smirked as she stepped forward, her goth clothing drawing Naruto's gaze to her sizable... 'attributes'. A delicate finger gently poked the shinobi's chest, forcing Naruto back into his seat as Mira winked at the shinobi.

"Now Naruto," Mirajane said, her sultry grin never leaving her face. "We both know it was you who has been missing me." Naruto laughed softly, his eyes briefly focusing on Lisanna as she pouted cutely. The shinobi forced himself to keep a straight face as his enhanced hearing picked up Lisanna's mumbling voice.

"Mira-nee really should just confess to Naruto-nii, he obviously likes her..." Naruto shook his head as he focused back on Mirajane, the eldest Take over sibling having taken a seat at the bar beside Naruto.

"So Mira, any jobs on the horizon for team Take Over?" Mira's eyes flashed brightly as she pulled a mission request from her cleavage, her hands gently placing the sheet on the bar in front of Naruto. The shinobi watched the spectacle with raised eyebrows, Lisanna giggling cutely in the background as Mira continued to smirk.

* * *

><p>"She did not!" Naruto took the opportunity to drink a glass of water as Lucy stopped him in his narration.<p>

"Oh yes she did! Hell, you can ask her yourself when we get back! Now, the job..."

* * *

><p>Naruto's eyes began to scan the request, his gaze changing from curious to shock very quickly.<p>

Without even realizing it, Naruto was now staring at Mira, a sick feeling in his stomach slowly growing as he placed the request on the bar. "The Beast? Mira, you're taking your sister and brother up against the Beast? Isn't that a little much for their first S-Class mission?" Mira glared weakly at the shinobi, her hand flashing towards the request and stuffing it back between her breasts.

"I'm an S class mage, I can handle a request like this! I can take care of myself, you don't need to babysit me!" Naruto sighed, running a hand over his face as he faced the young woman beside him.

"I know I don't have to take care of you, you're an accomplished and talented mage. But the King of Beasts is on a whole different level than what you've worked with before. At least let me come with you, I can hang back and let you three handle it unless there's a problem. How about it? You know you wanna..." Naruto smiled roguishly at Mira, watching the young woman's resolve slowly crumble, that is until a deep voice above the pair decided to add his two cents.

"Naruto, with Mira and Lisanna, we three should be enough for this job. As a man, I will protect my family, no matter what threatens us." Naruto looked up at the taller Elfman, his gaze boring into the male Take Over mage.

"I understand how you feel Elfman, but sometimes your desire to protect your loved ones isn't enough." Looking back towards Mirajane, Naruto saw that her resolve had been restored and the eldest Strauss rose to her feet.

"Don't worry Naruto, we'll be fine. When I get back, we should go out together somewhere... just the two of us." Naruto's worried gaze followed the once again confident Mirajane as she left with Elfman at her side. Looking to his right, Naruto saw that Lisanna's worried gaze as she watched her family walking towards the exit. Naruto looked at the youngest Strauss and ruffled her hair, pulling a brush from his hip pouch and a pot of ink.

"Lisanna, I need you to do me a favor. If things start to go south during your mission, I need you to let me know, I've got a bad feeling about this one." Lisanna watched in wonder as Naruto rapidly created a seal on her wrist, the small symbol pulsing brightly when the shinobi laid his finger on the finished characters. "Go ahead, touch it." Lisanna reached out a finger, gently pushing against the seal that now adorned her skin, a giggle passing her lips at the flare of heat that this action evoked, the young girl looking up at a grinning Naruto as he showed a slightly larger version of the same seal on his wrist.

"So, if something bad happens, just push it and you'll come running? But we'll be in Balsam Village, it's a few hours walk from Magnolia. Won't you be too late to help?" Naruto stood tall, his chest thrust out as he placed a foot one of the bar stools as he flexed his muscles, the effect of the dramatic pose causing Lisanna to nearly collapse in a fit of giggles.

"Never fear, wherever there is danger, Kage shall appear in a flash!" Naruto grinned widely at the giggling girl before him, the shinobi walking towards Lisanna and placing a hand on her shoulder , causing the girl's giggled to slowly trail off. "Seriously though, I've got an ace up my sleeve, been saving it up for the last year or so. If there is trouble, let me know and I'll be there. I promise."

"Lisanna! Where are you?" Leaping forward, Lisanna wrapped Naruto in another bone crushing hug before racing towards her brother and sister. Naruto watched as the trio exited the guild, the sick feeling in his stomach continuing as he sat at the bar once more, waiting.

* * *

><p>"I should have just followed them. I wanted to believe in Mira so much though, that I didn't. And by the time I found out there was trouble, it was too late." Naruto was about to continue his story when a flash of light appeared beside Lucy, the small form of Plue appearing. The dog spirit sat in Lucy's lap, causing the Celestial Spirit Mage to hold her companion close as Naruto continued with his tale.<p>

* * *

><p>Standing atop the tallest building in Magnolia, Naruto watched the bustling night life below him, a small smile appearing as he raised his wrist, looking the seal that adorned it.<p>

"Heh, maybe I was just being paranoid. Well, better safe than sorr..." Naruto's voice trailed off as he felt a flare of heat blossom to life on his wrist, the shinobi's eyes widening as turned towards Balsam village. Leaping into the air, Naruto landing heavily on another rooftop as he rapidly made his way towards the edge of the city.

'SHIT! Kurama, I'm gonna need that little bit of Natural energy we've been saving up for the last year!'

**'The hell gaki, it's only good for about ten minutes!'**

'THEN I BETTER MAKE THOSE TEN MINUTES COUNT! DO IT NOW!' Naruto felt the natural energy he had painstakingly gathered merge with his own chakra, the change to sage mode passing in the blink of an eye. Naruto's blurred form vanished, a boom of displaced air the only sign of his passing.

Balsam Village

Naruto arrived at the once prosperous town, his head shaking slowly as he watched the flames consuming the building stretched out before him. A loud roar split the night air, the shinobi leaping towards the town quickly. As Naruto quickly navigated the inferno, he felt his Sage mode give out, the shinobi growling loudly as he pushed himself harder to find the Beast. 'Knowing Mira, she'll be right in the middle of it! And if Mira's there, then her sister and Elfman are too...' Naruto's thoughts faltered as he reached the edge of town, the scene before him causing the shinobi to freeze in his tracks.

Lisanna was standing before the Beast, her arms stretched out as she stepped closer towards the creature. Naruto began running forward but it was too late as the Beast swung it's clawed arm downward, batting Lisanna out of it's path. Naruto watched in shock as Lisanna was throw into the nearby forest, the tortured scream of, "LISANNA!" causing his chakra to roil dangerously as he stared at the creature with hate filled eyes.

**'No mercy, kill it.' ** Naruto roared in fury, his chakra blazing to life around him when suddenly he disappeared from sight. A chakra enhanced axe kick slammed the surprised creature to the ground, a furious Naruto standing over the prone creature as he quickly gathered chakra in his open hand, the shinobi looking towards the Beast as he tried to decide where he could strike to kill it instantly.

"NARUTO, NO! DON'T KILL IT, THAT'S ELFMAN!" The rasengan that Naruto had been forming quickly winked out, the shinobi looking behind him at an anguished Mirajane. While watching the tears fall from her cheeks, Naruto heard the Beast rise up, it's roar shaking the very ground beneath it. Naruto's features hardened as he turned back to the rampaging Take Over Mage, his hand slipping into his hip pouch.

"Mira, find Lisanna. I'll handle Elfman."

* * *

><p>Naruto paused in his story, a hand briefly passing over his eyes while Lucy stared at the shinobi in wide eyed shock. "For a minute, I was tempted to kill him, I was so... so angry. But that look in Mira's eyes, I... I couldn't do it."<p>

* * *

><p>Naruto panted heavily, the dozen clones that he created in similar straights, but in the end they had done it. Elfman was currently being restrained by a gravity seal, while a tag Naruto had been working on for several months began to drain the magical energy from Elfman, canceling out the Take Over spell he as under. Leaving his clones to watch over his fellow mage, Naruto raced into the forest, his enhanced hearing picking up Mira's sobs.<p>

The shinobi burst into a clearing, the scene before him nearly causing him to fall to his knees. Lisanna laid on the ground, Mira clutching her sister's hand in her own as tears unashamedly ran down her face.

"It's ok Mira-nee. Look, Naruto came, just like he said he would." Naruto felt the sting of tears as he walked forward, his hand reaching out and grasping Lisanna's free hand in his own.

"Yeah, how could I not come? You're all too important to me to lose..." Naruto paused for a moment, tears spilling down his cheeks as he gently squeezed Lisanna's hand.

"Naruto-nii... take care of Mira-nee, she l-loves you s-so much... and don't let Elf-nii give up, h-he's gonna blame himself for this. P-please help him..." Naruto bent over, his lips kissing Lisanna's forehead softly.

"I promise."

End flashback

Naruto's raised his head to the ceiling, the memories forcing him to regain control of his emotions once more. After a few moments, Naruto looked over at Lucy, tears running down her cheeks as she held Plue in her arms.

"After we got back to Fairy Tail, Mira lost the will to fight as her magic slowly began to fade. So, she supports the guild anyway that she can, without having to fight. Elfman... he vowed to never attempt a Full Boy take over again, he ran from his fears and responsibilities. He says he's a man, but he's acting like a coward. That's the real reason why I don't get along with Elfman." Naruto stood up, his hand patting Plue gently on his head as he passed Lucy a handkerchief.

"I'll see you back at the guild hall, I need to clear my head." Lucy watched as Naruto opened the window beside her, and after an impressive feat of contortionism he pulled himself atop the train before leaping to the ground, the powerful shinobi racing beside the train for a few moments before speeding past it.

Fairy Tail Guild Hall

Mira smiled brightly as she passed the tables around her, the men of Fairy Tail praising the beauty as they drank their fill. A loud slam of the door attracted everyone's attention, but it was the dead look in Naruto's eyes that caused all conversation in the guild to die out, and Mira to run towards him in concern. As Mira neared the shinobi, Naruto reached forward, pulling Mira into his arms as he cried, the former Take Over mage holding the man in her arms as their fellow mages turned away, giving the pair as much privacy as they could as they studied their drinks before them.

Several minutes passed and Naruto looked into Mira's eyes, the dead look that he had previously now gone. "I guess it's time to let these things go, ne?" Mira sniffled a bit as she nodded, her arms pulling Naruto towards the bar. But before the pair could reach it, Naruto stopped Mira and faced a stoic looking Elfman.

"Elfman, get your gear and meet me here in twenty minutes." Elfman nodded brusquely, rising from his chair and exiting the guild without saying a word. Naruto finally let Mira drag him towards the bar, the emotionally drained shinobi accepting the drink placed before him. As Naruto sipped his drink, Mira leaned forward, her insistent stare causing the man to smile briefly. "Don't worry, I'm just going to help Elfman, like I promised. If I can get through his thick skull, that is."

Mira giggled softly as she leaned closer to Naruto. "Good luck with that, he's almost as stubborn as you are." Naruto hardheartedly glared at Mira, the woman's only response was another soft giggle.

The guild members slowly began speaking again, sensing that the worst had passed, forcing Mira to leave Naruto on his own ar the bar as she raced to fill orders once more. Naruto sighed as he finished his drink, spinning on the bar stool and watching his nakama once more, a nostalgic smile appearing slowly.

'Heh, I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time." Looking to his right, Naruto watched Cana sit on the stool beside him, the card mage punching the shinobi lightly in the shoulder before raising a barrel of beer to her lips.

"Hey Cana. Yeah, it has been a while. It just feels... right, you know? That new girl, Lucy... she kinda reminds me of Lisanna." Cana slowly lowered her barrel, a contemplative look on her face before nodding.

"Yeah, she kinda does, doesn't she?" Naruto smiled as he softly punched Cana's shoulder, the pair laughing softly as they watched their fellow guild mates. After twenty minutes, Naruto looked at the doorway as Elfman entered the guild once more, his rucksack in his hands. Pushing himself to his feet, Naruto grinned at Cana before walking towards the taller man, the entire guild watching as the pair exited the building.

As the pair silently walked to the edge of Magnolia, Elfman decided that he would take it upon himself to break said silence. "Where are we headed, Naruto-san?"

"Camping, Elfman... we're going camping."

Later that evening

The roaring fire the pair sat around was a welcome comfort, it's flames holding the chill of night at bay. Elfman groaned as he relaxed before the flames, the long hike to reach this place having actually been somewhat of a challenge. 'I've gotten too used to taking trains, I'm getting soft.'

Elfman watched as Naruto expertly continued to prepare a late night meal, the shinobi working rapidly as he had done this hundreds of times before. Elfman continued to stare at the roaring flames, his wandering mind barely catching the tail end of the words that Naruto had directed at him. "I'm sorry Naruto-san, could you repeat that?"

Naruto sighed softly as he threw a stick in the fire, the shinobi clasping his hands before him. "I said that you and I are going to work this out. Mira-chan wants us to get past this problem we have and I'm sick of your avoidance of it. Do you have any idea why I am so angry with you?" Elfman watched as Naruto stared directly at him, his neutral expression locking onto Elfman's haunted gaze as he nodded slowly.

"I killed Lisanna," Elfman said, a tear rolling down his cheek as he relived the painful memories. "It's my fault that she's dead."

Elfman's eyes widened as Naruto disappeared, a blast of air the only indication that he had even been there. The shinobi suddenly reappearing before the stunned man, grabbing Elfman's clothing and throwing him roughly against a large tree. Elfman groaned loudly as he slowly stood, his eyes widening as he felt the cold steel of a kunai held against his throat. Looking at the person holding the weapon, Naruto's anger was literally rolling off of him in waves, his eyes a deep crimson as he growled at the still mage.

"You stupid bastard! Have you been taking lessons from Natsu on how to be an idiot!? I'm pissed off because you gave up! I offered to help you learn how to control your full body take over, but you brushed me off, saying that that you would just never use it again! Lisanna begged me before she died to not let you give up, but no matter what I did, you never listened! I broke a promise, A PROMISE to Lisanna and it was your fault!" Elfman felt his anger growing as he glared at Naruto, the mage grasping the shinobi's arm and pushing him away, a magic seal appearing on his right shoulder as his Arm of the Black Bull appeared.

"Of course, Naruto always has the answers! You can't even use Take Over, how could you possibly help me! This is the extent of what I can do, I tried to something that was beyond me and I paid the price for my pride! I KILLED MY SISTER!" Naruto's glare returned, the shinobi returning his kunai to the pouch at his waist before sitting down once more.

"Sit down Elfman, I'm going to tell you a story. Which means I talk, you listen." Elfman was about to argue when he felt the air bearing down on him, forcing the man to sit once more Incidentally, it was the furious glare from Naruto that finally convinced the Take over Mage that now was not the time to push the blonde seated before him. As soon as Elfman sat down, Naruto handed him a bowl of the food he had prepared, the shinobi taking a deep breath before he began his story.

"Many years ago, there was a man, a sage that was the spiritual leader of a far off country. His homeland was under attack from a creature of unimaginable power, nothing could be done by the people to stop it's rampage. This sage finally discovered a way to defeat the creature, he was forced to take the being into his own body, becoming a container for the beast. After many years, the man used his powers to split the creature into pieces, each of them creating their own unique, separate being. After the sage died, the nine creatures scattered across the world, living as they saw fit." Naruto looked up, seeing that Elfman was still paying attention to him, so he continued his tale.

"That is, until they were caught by humans and imprisoned, just like the original creature. Many of them fought against their containers, causing havoc and destruction as they broke free of their shackles. Others accepted their fates, working hand in hand with their new jailors." Naruto paused in his story, his bemused expression causing Elfman to lean forward, a niggling suspicion telling the mage that this wasn't just some random story that Naruto was making up.

"The most powerful of all the creatures was the Kyubi no Yoko, the Nine Tailed Demon Fox. Several people had been it's container, but none had managed to successfully harness it's power, or gain it's respect. Then one day, the Kyubi was sealed into an infant, a orphan whose parents had died during one of it's rampages. For thirteen years, the boy had no idea that he housed a creature of terrifying power inside of him, but then one day it was revealed to him." Naruto paused for a moment, sampling the food he had prepared before continuing.

"As the boy grew, he tried to use the power he contained, but each time he did he had to fight to not lose himself to the bloodlust and anger he felt. Sometimes he succeeded, other times he failed. But he always fought back, he always kept trying, he NEVER GAVE UP. Eventually, he gained the respect of the Kyubi, and the two of them fought as a team, their powers growing to mythic levels as they tried to turn the tide of a world war." Elfman swallowed loudly, his eyes never leaving the man before his as he listened intently to the story that was being revealed to him.

"After the war, this boy was heralded as the new Sage, but his partnership with Kyubi making him too powerful to stay in the village he had called home. And so he wandered, until one day during a celebration, he fell through a portal and found himself in a new world. The first person he met challenged him to a fight, that damn Natsu and his cheap shots." Naruto's calm eyes locked onto Elfman's shocked gaze, his bowl of food having fallen when the Take Over mage had realized what Naruto was telling him.

"Jiji and Mira are the only other people that know about that, if I find out that anyone knows that story, I'll know it was you that told them." Naruto said, the blonde slowly finishing off his food as he let Elfman think about his story for a moment. "So no, I don't have all the answers, but I do know what it's like to fight against something that wants to take over your soul." Elfman looked at his hands in his lap, tears rolling down his cheeks as he realized what Naruto had been trying to tell him all this time. A hand resting on his shoulder caused Elfman to look up, a somber looking Naruto meeting the crying man's gaze.

"I forgave you years ago for the death of Lisanna, it was an accident. But, I couldn't forgive you for trampling on her faith in you. She stood right in front of your beast form, believing that you would take control back before you attacked her. Prove her right, show me that her faith in you was not misplaced. I'm heading to bed, when you have your answer, we'll get to work." Naruto turned around and entered his tent, leaving a humbled Elfman alone with his thoughts as he stared into the fire.

The next day

Naruto yawned loudly, the blonde grumbling at having to wake up alone in bed as he wandered away from the campsite, needing to take care of some 'business'. As he finished, Naruto returned to the camp, his hand slapping against the canvas tent he had setup for Elfman.

"Oi, Elfman, wake up." Several moments passed but no sound was heard from the inside of the tent. "Oi, Elfman!" Naruto ripped open the door, the empty tent before his gaze surprising the shinobi. Several moments passed before a loud yell was heard, the sound coming from a nearby clearing. Naruto yawned as he lazily made his way there, the shinobi leaning against a tree as he watched Elfman working on his Take Over magic. Naruto watched in interest as a magic seal appeared in front of Elfman, one large enough to cover the mage's entire body. After several moments, Elfman collapsed to the ground, panting loudly. Naruto pushed himself off the tree, walking towards the larger man and smiling brightly.

"It looks like you have your answer, Elfman." The panting mage nodded slowly, his breathing finally coming back under his control as he stood.

"Yes... I need to show you that my sister's faith was not misplaced. Where do we start?" Naruto grinned evilly, a dark aura appearing around his as Elfman tried to slowly back away.

"Training... lots and lots of training."

One week later

Night had fallen, the muggy day giving way to the cool night air that passed through Magnolia. A pair of dirty men entered the city, their slow stride showing their fatigue as they paused at the city gates. Elfman groaned loudly as he looked over at Naruto, the blonde still grinning even after the long hike back to civilization.

"How can you still be smiling? We were attacked by a band of lizard men! They were discussing how to cook me up for their dinner!" Naruto laughed loudly as he slapped Elfman on the shoulder, the Take Over mage's annoyed look fading as he began to laugh heartily.

"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad..."

"Naruto, they were torn between boiling me alive in hot oil, or chopping me up so that they could saute me. And don't think I didn't hear you try and give them suggestions!" Naruto raised his hands before himself, his laughter causing the shinobi to nearly fall on his ass.

"Yes...hehehe, I did give them suggestions.. suggestions that allowed us time to escape, I might add." Grumbling loudly, Naruto slung his arm over Elfman's shoulders as the pair entered the town.

"So... are we good now, Naruto?" Naruto stopped for a moment, his eyes boring deeply into Elfman's before he sighed.

"We're better than we were. These things take time, just like your Full Take Over. You've made progress, keep at it and you'll get it. And just like that, we'll have to keep at it, eventually we'll be back to the way things were two years ago. Now I don't know about you, but I could use a drink." Elfman groaned as he turned towards his home.

"No way, I'm too tired, I'm be heading home." As Elfman slowly made his way towards home, Naruto yawned loudly before walking towards the Guild Hall, the shinobi having a suspicion that even though it was late, someone was still there. As Naruto approached the entrance, a soft smile appeared as he saw the glowing lines of a security seal he had created, his hands brushing against the glowing bar of light. The seal recognized his chakra and immediately deactivated, allowing the shinobi to pass. As Naruto looked around the darkened room, a single lamp at the bar caught his attention and he grinned at the sight of Mira, sleeping with her head cradled in her arms at the bar.

Chuckling softly, Naruto stepped into the empty guild hall, making his way towards the sleeping woman. Once he reached her, Naruto noticed the seal that was placed on Mira's inner wrist, the same seal he had put on Lisanna the last time he had seen her. Leaning forward, Naruto pecked her cheek, an action that woke the ivory haired woman immediately. Seeing a grinning Naruto before her, Mira moaned softly as she stretched her arms over her head before she jumped into Naruto's arms.

"Hey, welcome home." Naruto grinned as he leaned in for a kiss, Mira's arms wrapping around the blonde's neck as she pulled him flush against her. After a proper greeting, Mira pulled back, her arms still holding Naruto close as she smiled sleepily at the shinobi. "So, how did it go?"

"Better. Things are better. He's still not quite ready for a Full Boy Take over, but he's made a lot of progress. And we're getting along now... wait, what's that sound?" Naruto glanced outside, a sound similar to cloth rasping over metal catching his attention. Mira looked up at her boyfriend in concern, watching in surprise as Naruto's eyes widened.

"MOVE!" Mira felt Naruto pick her up in his arms, the action surprising the woman when she saw a massive iron club punch through the guild wall, the rapidly approaching weapon heading straight for the couple. Naruto leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding being skewered, when another club punched through guild's wall, causing the blonde to dash for the exit. Mira gripped onto Naruto tightly as he skidded to a halt, a trio of the clubs slamming into the floor, cutting of his escape. Growling loudly, Naruto watched helplessly as the guild was riddled with the gigantic weapons, the floor bucking as it started to break apart. "Hang on!"

Leaping into the air, Naruto landed on top of one of the clubs and ran up it's length, his chakra coated feet clinging tenaciously to the iron shaft. As the pair neared the roof, Naruto adjusted his grip and thrust a now freed hand forward. "FŪTON: DAITOPPA!"

Outside of the guild hall

'Hmmm, I wonder if I went a little overboard with my... greeting, gihihihi.' As a shadowy being rose to his feet, a violent blast of air ripped through the roof of the guild hall, throwing large amounts of debris into the air. A blurred figure quickly bounded out of the hole, stopping once it reached the top of the guild.

'Well well well, what do we have here...'

* * *

><p>Panting loudly, Naruto checked to make sure Mira was ok, the barmaid shaking her head as she held Naruto's face between her hands.<p>

"I'm ok, we're both ok." Naruto's leaned forward and kissed Mira swiftly, the shinobi pulling back as he scanned the buildings surrounding the guild. Naruto's gaze hardened as he looked across the street, a shadowy being swiftly leaping across the roof tops having caught his eye. Leaping towards the ground, Naruto let Mira down as he watched the figure swiftly get away.

"What are you waiting for, go after him!" Naruto looked down at Mira in surprise, a smirk appearing on her lips as Mira pushed her boyfriend after the man on the roof. "Go on, show that guy not to mess with Fairy Tail!" Naruto grinned as he leaped towards the rooftops, sprinting as he tried to catch up to the man that had done this. Several minutes into the chase, the man that Naruto was chasing spun around, a magic seal forming before him as he stood his ground.

"_Tetsuryū no Hōkō!"_ Naruto's eyes widened as a powerful Tornado barreled towards him, the sharp shards of metal laced in the force of nature ripping into the shinobi's skin. As the attack faded, the dark man grinned evilly, watching the shinobi's body drop to the roof in a pool of his own blood. Instead of running, the dark man landed beside the downed Naruto, his laugh echoing across the night sky.

"Aw, poor little Fairy had it's wings clipped? Gihihihi!" As the man continued laughing at the injured shinobi before him, he never noticed a second person appear behind him, a sharp blade flashing in the moonlight. "That's what you get for messing with PhantomGHAK!" The man's voice cut off as a powerful hand clamped down on his wind pipe, the clone before him bursting into smoke. The man tried to pull free from the hand that held him captive, but once he felt the sharp tip of Naruto's kunai he stopped moving.

"Gajeel Redfox, Phantom Lord's Iron Dragon Slayer. Didn't Jose tell you that it's a bad idea to piss me off?"


	6. Chapter 5

Alright, this is it! No more until March, I swear it, no matter how much you beg, plead, review... well, reviews may work... I decided to give this to you before I finished for the month, hope you enjoy the changes from canon!

* * *

><p>"GAHHH! COLD!" Gajeel coughed loudly, the Iron Dragon Slayer shaking his head as his soaked hair fell into his face. The Phantom Lord Ace could feel the bonds that were shackled to his wrists, a stiff yank confirmed that Gajeel wasn't going to get them off of himself anytime soon. Craning his head left and right, trying to get an idea of where he was, Gajeel growled lowly when all that met his eyes was darkness, with the exception of a lit candle before him, the room's only source of light. "Where am I!? Let me outta here right now dammit!"<p>

The sound of shuffling feet had Gajeel's head whipping to his left, his sensitive eyes barely making out the outline of a person standing there. "Who the hell are you! Let me out of this fucking place! NOW!" Gajeel froze as a new sound appeared, the sound of steel rasping along stone. After a moment, the dragon slayer heard the same sound again, realizing it was a metallic door. A new figure approached Gajeel from behind, the bound man struggling once more to try and get a look at the newcomer.

"Mr. Redfox, I'd advise that you... cease your struggles." A low growl was Gajeel's only answer, his eyes focusing on the man as he stepped into the meager candlelight.

His clothing was an immediate give away, there wasn't a mage alive that didn't recognize the uniform of the Rune Knights. But the strangest thing was that the man was wearing sunglasses... indoors... in the dark. The sound of a very heavy folder hitting the table caused the Iron Dragon Slayer to growl softly before he settled down. The Rune Knight sat down slowly, opening the file before him and leafing through several pages in silence. Finally, the man reached up, pulled his sunglasses from his face and slowly placed them to his left. "Thank you. Now, as you can see we have been following your exploits for quite some time. You're a member of the Guild Phantom Lord, one of the few S-class mages that made up it's leadership. Yet, we had heard troubling rumors about other guilds other activities that you have participated in, everything ranging from kidnapping to embezzlement. You are here today due to one of these... 'questionable' activities. Do you know where you are, Mr Redfox?"

Gajeel's shook his head slowly, his eyes focused on the man before him as the Rune Knight folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair before Gajeel decided to speak. "How about you tell me where I am? After all, it's kinda hard to know for sure when I wake up in a pitch black room. Last thing thing, I remember was on top of a building in Magnolia, while... I can't remember, I can't remember what happened after that!"

"Ah yes, memory loss. It's a side effect of the coma, the doctors say that..."

"Wait, what!? WHAT COMA?" Gajeel began to struggle against his bonds once more, but a silent glare from the man sitting across the table from him cause Gajeel to settle down slowly.

"As I was saying, Mr. Redfox, the coma had several side effects, long term memory loss is one of them. You've been asleep for 10 years. But none of that is important, what is important is that you are here, and the knowledge you possess may be able to shed some light on a mystery that has confounded us for quite some time. Ten years ago, after you had been caught by the S-Class mage Uzumaki Naruto, you were beaten within an inch of your life, causing you to fall into a coma. Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail went to war with each other, thanks to your actions. But, there was no victor, both sides were destroyed. None of us on the council knew what happened, not even what the root cause of the conflict was. That, is where you come in, Mr Redfox." Gajeel's eyes widened as his muscles slackened, his head slowly shaking back and forth as he continued to stare at the man before him. Gajeel watched as the Rune Knight stood stiffly, gathering the file once more before finally stepping beside the bound Dragon Slayer.

"I know that this is a shock, so I'll leave you alone so that you may... reflect on the situation." Gajeel's silence was enough for the man to step out of the room, the guard that had awoken Gajeel leaving as well. As the door closed, the displaced air extinguished the candle, plunging the shocked Dragon Slayer into darkness.

Outside of the room

As the door lock clicked into place, the guard turned towards the Rune Knight, a wide grin dominating his features.

"So, you think he bought it?" The Rune Knight grinned evilly, his features obscured by smoke for a moment before Naruto's face appeared, his hands rubbing together in a most diabolical fashion.

"Hehehe, with those seals I placed around the room he can't hear a thing we're saying out here. We're going to be the only people that he will be seeing, so what ever we decide to tell him will become his reality. The more we hammer him with it, the less likely his is to argue with what we tell him." The guard nodded before transforming back into her normal form, Mira laughed lightly before walking towards the blonde, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing a loving kiss on his lips.

"Now, with a little effort, and a lot of bullshitting, we can find out what exactly Phantom Lord's plan is. Now, get over here." Mira grinned happily as she wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck, the pair continuing their interrupted activities from earlier in the night. After several minutes, Naruto reapplied his henge, Mira transformed once more and the pair reentered the darkened room. A brief flare of a match showed the shocked face of Gajeel, causing Naruto to internally grin as he lit the candle once more.

"So, Mr. Redfox, I need you to tell me everything that you know about this War that was started with Fairy Tail. Otherwise you will be spending a very long time in a cell just like this one."

Chapter 5

Two days later

Naruto sighed as he looked upwards, his arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed the damaged guild building before him. "Hmmm, it'd probably be cheaper to just demolish the thing and start over." A quick hand sign and a dozen clones appeared, the original ending them off to check on some information on repairing the guild. "Of course, a ruined guild is the least of our worries."

Flashback – Yesterday

Naruto looked across the room at a strangely serious Makarov, the old man's face betraying none of the anger that Naruto could sense off of the man.

"And you're positive that this is correct?" Naruto nodded slowly, a sigh escaping his lips as he sat in a chair in front of the master's desk.

"As far as I can tell it is, he's not lying, that's for sure. And the clones I've sent out to assess the situation all report that Phantom Lord is making some very strange movements, as if they were preparing for a large offensive. It looks like Jose is finally going to try and get back at you for that humiliating defeat he was handed, what was it, four years ago?"

"Six. This is why I hate working with young people, they don't know how to let things go."

"Oi, what do you call me then? I let things go, are you saying I'm not young?" Makarov grinned at the shinobi, causing Naruto to laugh softly as he leaned back in the chair.

"You're not like others, you've been through too much in your life. If you took everything too seriously then you'd drop dead from worrying or stress." Makarov sighed as he placed his hands on his desk. "I'm counting on you to get my brats through this. Now that we know there's a trap, we should be able to avoid it. Let's see who's better, a Guild Master or a Shinobi."

End Flashback

As Naruto stood there organizing his thoughts, a loud squawk of indignation caught the blonde's attention, his expression lightening slightly when he turned around and saw Natsu, Erza, Gray and Lucy approaching him.

"Naruto! Wha.. what happened to the guild?!" Natsu's eyes flared dangerously as he took in the sight before him, Happy loudly copying his partner. Naruto walked forward, grabbed Natsu by his scarf, snagged Happy out of the air and shook his head at his captives. "Don't worry about that right now. You two need to come with me, something the master told me about stealing a S-class mission?" As Naruto dragged the protesting pair towards the building, Erza blinked slowly as she looked towards a very confused Gray and Lucy before the trio followed Naruto into the basement of the guild hall.

Fairy Tail Cellar

Natsu growled as he struggled in Naruto's iron grip, the dragon slayer looking around the basement in confusion at the happy guild members continued on as if nothing had changed. The tables from the hall were still setup, and the alcohol was flowing as usual, as if it were a normal day at the guild. Naruto finally stopped, tossing the protesting Natsu and Happy away from himself as he placed his hands on his hips. Natsu turned around, squaring off against the shinobi as he raised his fist at the grinning blonde. "What the hell? What did you do that for?" Naruto sighed as he pointed behind the dragon slayer, a deep voice causing Natsu and Happy to both freeze fearfully.

"Because I asked him to bring both you here when he saw you next, Natsu." The protesting Dragon Slayer gulped loudly, his expression falling rapidly as Naruto grinned at him evilly.

"Naruto," Natsu said, a fearful expression replacing his anger. "I thought we were friends!"

Naruto laughed loudly and placed his hand on Natsu's shoulder, turning the now fearful mage towards the seated form of Makarov. "We are friends Natsu, but he's the Guild Master. What he says, goes. And he told me, if I saw you, I needed to make sure you got here immediately. After all, you broke the rules, now you need to be punished." Natsu struggled against Naruto's iron grip, the shinobi marching closer to Natsu's doom. Makarov stoic face focused on the thrashing boy, his arm raised high into the air.

"I've been lenient on you Natsu," Makarov said, his glare causing the dragon slayer to gibber madly. "I thought you had enough sense to stay away from an S-Class job until I deemed you were ready! But not only did you go on a job without my approval, you dragged others into it! You have earned the rightful punishment for your actions!"

"Jiji! No, don't punish me, I'll never do it again! Please!" Makarov's stoic face quickly changed to anger, his arm falling down as he delivered a powerful chop the the young man's head.

"BAD! Bad Natsu, don't do that again! Ah, I see our other troubled youths have been found and returned home as well! Take your punishments, you've earned them! BAD! BAD! BAD!" Gray and Happy groaned loudly, the pair of them rubbing their now sore heads. Lucy on the other hand...

"KYAA! Dirty old man!" Lucy ran behind Mirajane, rubbing her ass tenderly while Mira gave Makarov 'The Look'.

"Master, stop that!" Makarov sighed as he pulled his hand back, grabbing his mug of beer and chugging it happily.

"Master," Erza said, her angry gaze passing over her fellow mages that were continuing one as if nothing had happened. "Do yo not understand what's going on here? We need to find out who did this to our guild and teach them a lesson!" A round of mirthful laughter met Erza'a outburst, the requip mage's dark aura appearing around her as she turned towards her fellow guild members. But her aura winked out as a heavy hand landed on her shoulder, the requip mage looking up at Naruto's smirking face.

"Oh, trust me, we already know who did this... and I'm working on a response. Tell me Erza, what do you know about Phantom Lord?" For several moments Erza fought against her natural reaction to yell at Naruto, thinking about the question he had just posed towards her before answer.

"They are our rivals, they have similar strength to ours, most of which is caused by the larger number of mages in their guilds. Are you saying that Phantom did this to our guild?"

"Yep, it was Phantom. Mira and I were here when it happened, I caught the person that caused the damage before he could escape. Right now, he's holed away in one of the buildings in town, under lock and key."

"Wait... are you saying you KIDNAPPED GAJEEL REDFOX? What the hell is wrong with you, Naruto! That's a crime!" Erza jabbed a finger into the grinning shinobi's chest, her furious yell setting off a chain reaction of laughter around the guild.

"A crime? No way, that's not a crime!" Naruto's head turned to the side as Mira whispered something in his ear, a look of surprise appearing on the shinobi's features. "Seriously? Your joking, kidnapping is a crime here? We used to do it all the time back home!" Erza growled loudly as she stomped towards the bar, sitting down heavily on a stool as she glared at Naruto.

"Anyways, kidnapping aside, I'm not about to let some guild with a superiority complex try and destroy my family. So, we're gonna teach them a lesson that they won't forget. After all, who else here has fought in a war?" The guild members laughter trailed off, their gazes focused on the confident shinobi before them. "War isn't noble. War is making sure you hit them harder than they hit you! Stick with me and Phantom will never try this shit again!" Naruto grinned widely as his nakama rose to their feet, a thunderous cheer causing the shinobi to grin.

"Now, here's the situation...

Phantom Lord – Main Headquarters

The streets of Oak Town were awash with it's citizens, it's streets filled with vendors, playing children and busy adults. The town continued to be prosperous due to their local attraction, Phantom Lord. The guild building was a large fortress like structure, it's imposing shadow covering the town that it occupied. There were dark whispers about some of the guild practices, but the average citizens paid them no mind, brushing off the words as mere rumors and nothing more.

What the people of Oak Town didn't know was, the building they believed was Phantom Lord's Headquarters was in reality just public outpost. The true headquarters was hidden away in the hills surrounding Oak Town, amid the rubble of an ancient structure. It's halls were filled with the sounds of it's top mages, each of them preparing for the oncoming conflict they had been warned about. In the center of the structure, a darkened room was host to the master of the guild, Jose Porla, who was current seated atop a darkened throne. At his feet, four mages were bowed as they awaited his instructions.

"There has been no word from Gajeel-kun?"

"No master," A feminine voice replied. "There has not been any work from Gajeel. We believe that he has been captured." A series of murmuring began before one of the bowed beings decided to voice his opinion loudly.

"Non non non! This will not do! The plan will be..."

"The plan," Jose said, cutting off all those that bowed before him with a glare. "Will proceed as I direct it. Gajeel-kun was heading towards Fairy Tail, home to that bastard Makarov and his insufferable brats. And...him as well. Capture was always a possibility, but I know Gajeel. He will not break or talk, he's tougher than that." Silence was the only response to Jose's words, the four people before him knowing their Master's disgust for the people he had mentioned. "The plan will commence tomorrow as we have already discussed. I will send for you all once we have finished our preparations Now, leave me."

The next day

Naruto groaned softly, the early morning sun prompting the shinobi to rise. But, his time in Fiore had taught him a very valuable lesson. Sleeping in had it's perks, especially when sleeping in with Mirajane. Naruto's arms pulled Mira closer to him, the blonde enjoying the feeling of the young woman that he held in his arms. 'Actually, I think it's time for something relaxing... for both of us. Mira was up most of the night worrying about how today would go, she could use something... distracting.' But just as Naruto nuzzled closer to Mira's neck, he felt his girlfriend's hand squeezing his wrist, Mira's sleepy voice causing Naruto to pause in his ministrations.

"Mmh, if you're awake enough for that, then we have to get up," Mira said, her firm words causing Naruto to groan softly as he buried his face in her neck. "Don't you remember what's happening today? We need to go and... oh you sneaky little... stop that... ahhh!"

Mira let out a cute moan as Naruto ignored her words, softly kissed her neck several time until his lips began making a trail towards her shoulders. Mira groaned softly, enjoying the featherlight touch of her lover's lips on her skin when suddenly his hands slid up her stomach and finally cupped her breasts firmly in Naruto's strong hands, hands that kneading the pliable flesh until Mira moaned softly. The young woman's arguments evaporated as she felt her emotions whirling out of control, the sensations Naruto elicited in her causing her to gyrate slowly. "No... we'll be late..."

Naruto nipped at Mira's ear, causing the young woman to groan loudly as he used all of the tricks he had learned over the past two years against her. "We can be a little late, after all everyone already left last night and will be in position by now. Let me help you relax, Mira-chan."

Mira groaned loudly, the heat growing inside of he under Naruto's skilled hands. Soon her arguments were forgotten as Mira's lust took over, the young woman spinning around and crushing her lips against Naruto's as Mira pinned the shinobi to the bed. Pulling back, Mira looked down at the pinned shinobi with lust filled eyes, a devilish smirk appearing as she rubbed against her lover once more. "Alright then, you asked for it!"

An hour later

A flushed Mirajane appeared at the door of the guild, stopping as she looked into the disapproving eyes that Erza was sending her way. Mira giggled softly, the young woman brushing at her hair as she caught her breath. Where have you been Mira? We should have started the operation a few minutes ago, and Naruto is missing! If he doesn't arrive, then.."

Erza trailed off when suddenly a grinning Naruto joined them, sweat beading on his brow as he took a deep breath. Erza looked up at the pair, her eyes narrowing at their current state. "Where have you two been? It looks like the two of you have been doing something strenuous... Naruto! What did you do to Mirajane? Huh?" Naruto held his hands up, while Mira intercepted the volatile requip mage and pulled her away from the shinobi. Naruto grinned as he entered the room, a large map dominating the wall of the Fairy Tail's basement. Naruto made sure to listen to the story that Mira was feeding Erza, just in case the young woman tried to catch the two in a lie. 'After all, I really don't think she's gonna wanna here the answer of, 'Naruto and I were in the middle of a hot and steamy session of sex, and we didn't wanna get outta bed'. As funny as her reaction would be, I seriously doubt that right now is the right time to tell her.'

**'Heh, very true. But to be honest, I think she's starting to get suspicious, gaki.'**

'Took her long enough, I've been leaving clues that a genin could decipher for months now.'

**'You mean a normal Genin, or YOU as a Genin?'**

'...Fuck you, Kurama'

Naruto sighed as he listened to the boisterous laughter from his partner fade away, his focus shifting directly towards the map before him. "Well now, lets see how a Phantom stacks up to a Shinobi."

Flashback – Yesterday afternoon

"Alright everyone, listen up! This entire attack on us is due to two reasons! First, Phantom hates our guts, they're using a piss poor excuse for all out war with us, regardless of how the council feels about guilds fighting one another. That reason is our newest Fairy, Lucy." A cacophony of voices exploded, a shocked Lucy shaking her head as Naruto continued. "That's right, Lucy... Heartfilia. Daughter and heir to the Heartfilia Conglomerate." Silence met Naruto's revelation, the eyes of the entire guild focusing on the now trembling girl that was clinging to Erza.

"Now, most guilds would probably quietly hand Lucy over, saddened at her loss, but not wanting to go to war with another guild. After all, as I said before, the council does frown upon such actions." Several mages turned towards Naruto, their fiery gazes causing the blonde to grin as he slammed his fist into the table before him, shattering the furniture as he stood tall.

"BUT WE ARE NOT MOST GUILDS! WE ARE FAIRY TAIL, AND IF YOU THREATEN ONE OF OUR OWN, WE'LL KICK YOUR ASS STRAIGHT TO HELL!" Naruto laughed loudly at the roar of approval from his fellow guild members, the shinobi shaking his head as he saw tears trailing down Lucy's cheeks. "Come on Lucy, did you really think we'd give you up to anyone? You belong with us now, we are your family!" Raucous laughter met Naruto's declaration, the shinobi grinning as he motioned for Levi and team Shadow Gear to come forward. The young blue haired girl waited with a large scroll in her hands, her teammates grabbing several tables and placing them end to end. Once done, Levi unfurled the scroll, revealing a detailed map of Fiore.

"Now, Makarov and I have decided that fort now, I'm in charge. I have experience fighting a war, making me the most suited to getting us out of this mess. First order of business, destroying their supply lines. Phantom Lord has multiple subdivisions, meaning they have something to fall back on if this war drags out. I plan to.. relive them of that security blanket, I want their backs broken forever. Messing with my family is a big mistake." As Naruto placed his hand on the map, over a dozen points of light appeared, showing the sub divisions that they currently knew about.

"Each subdivision will be assaulted by a team, a combination of clones and Fairy Tail mages. The main assault group will be here," Naruto pointed at the Public Headquarters for Phantom Lord. "The most likely place to find Jose Porla would be here... but we're not that stupid to believe that, are we?"

"NO!" Naruto grinned at the shouted answer before continuing on his briefing.

"Good, cause sometimes I worry about some of you guys, I mean with some of the things I've seen you guys do..." Naruto grinned as the various boos and annoyed responses from his guild mates.

"Ok, ok, enough kidding. So, the main squad will consist of Makarov and a large number of our most powerful mages. Now, this most likely is a trap, which usually means either trapping us or draining our biggest hitter, Makarov. So I want everyone there to be on their guard, especially you Master."

"Now, all of this information has come to us via our late night visitor. This was the original plan, to get our guild to commit to a fight at the main outpost. But, it is possible that Jose could change his plans, so just in case Phantom decides to strike here, I'll be staying behind with a small group of mages to hold them off. I'll also be coordinating with the different groups through communication Lacrima, so we'll all be in contact as the battle commences. Once your subdivision has been taken down, met us back here. Any questions?" As the silence began to stretch out, Naruto nodded as he raised his fist in the air.

"Alright then, I'll let you know who your teammates are later. So, go light on the booze, yes Cana I'm looking at you, and be ready to move out tonight! We strike early in the morning, the perfect time as I'm sure Phantom's mages are as lazy and unruly as you lot!" Naruto grinned as he guild mates cheered loudly, their morale restored as they trusted in their shinobi's battle plan.

End Flashback

Naruto walked towards the table that had been setup last night in the basement, the shinobi tapping the Main Lacrima sitting on the table before him. Naruto watched as magic seal appeared, the crystal tying in with each teams lacrima as he prepared to address the troops.

"Alright everyone, begin the attack."

Meanwhile

Jose groaned loudly, a loud pounding at his door interrupting his sleep. Growling loudly as the intrusion continued, Jose angrily leaped to his feet, his ire so great he was contemplating killing the fool that had awoken him. Ripping the door from it's hinges, Jose growled loudly as he was faced with a nervous looking member of Phantom Lord's Administration staff, the coward bowing his head as he asked for forgiveness.

"My apologies Master Jose, but Poltergeist's Laugh is being attacked!" Jose's ire quickly winked out, confusion replacing it as his mind slowly awoke.

"Poltergeist's Laugh? But their one of our branches... oh that cheeky bastard! He'll suffer for..."

"Master Jose!" Jose's diatribe trailed off as he turned towards the new arrival, another admin mage ran forward, the man panting as he placed his hand against the wall for support. "Reports are coming in of an attack!"

"I know that you blasted buffoon! Poltergeist's Laugh..."

"No! Not just them, all of the branches are under attack!"

"WHAT!?"

"Poltergeist's Laugh, Spirit's Crossing, Specter's Chill, all of our sub-divisions are under attack! Each by a band of mages from Fairy Tail, many of them exact duplicates of the same man!"

Jose growled loudly as his magic flared, the two admin mages stepping away form the volatile man,

"UZUMAKI... Prepare the golem! We're paying a visit to Magnolia! I want that man's head on a pike!"

Several hours later

Naruto sighed happily as he studied the information before him, a smiling Mira placing a drink at his elbow as he continued to study the current situation. 'Ok, so most of the sub-guilds are down, several of the squads are already on their way back. Man, those guilds must have been the rejects that Jose didn't want anymore. Makarov and his team should be on their way back, strangely enough there wasn't any kind of trap to stop them... well, that just means that we'll have to wait and see what Jose's next move is...' Naruto's inner monologue trailed off as he felt the ground heave slightly, the shinobi looking over at Mira in surprise.

"Uh, I didn't do that..." Mira and Naruto stared at each other for a moment before a violent heave of the ground sent the pair flying.

"Outside!" Naruto pulled Mira to her feet, the pair racing up the stairs and coming face to face with Phantom Lord's Headquarters. Naruto's eyes widened as he whistled in admiration. "Wow, now that's something you don't see every day!" As the mobile building stopped, a crackle was heard before Jose's amplified voice thundered out of several speakers on the golem before them.

"You... this is your fault isn't it? Naruto grinned as he slid his finger over a seal located on his neck, causing any words he spoke to be greatly amplified.

"Oh hey, it's Jose Porla! Our Master is out right now, but if you'd like to leave a name and message we'll be sure to have him get back to you as soon as possible!" Naruto grinned as his amplified voice repeated the same message, a low growl coming from the Phantom Headquarters speakers.

"You bastard... you're the reason my guilds are being destroyed and yet you have the gall to mock me! I should have killed you when I first met you! Hand over Lucy Heartfilia and I'll only kill you, the rest of your pathetic guild can live!" Naruto laughed loudly, the shinobi walking towards the edge of the cliff separating the guild from the lake that Phantom's Golem was standing in.

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to pass on that. So, are you going to just stand there all day threatening me, or are you going to do something about it?" A furious growl was Jose's answer as a piece of the mobile building fell away, revealing a large barrel that began extending from the building.

**'Well shit, that'll leave a mark.'** Naruto grinned at his partner's quip, his hand already reaching for his sleeve that contained the Biju Bracer.

'Bah, we're good, let's give'em a show. How long will the chakra we've collected last?'

**'Hmmm, I'd say about a minute, minute and a half.' **

'Well, that should be enough... I think. Well, time to find out!'

As Naruto watched the Jupiter Cannon power up, he felt Kurama's chakra gather around him, the familiar feeling of his Biju Modo coursing through him. The cannon fired it's gathered energy, the blast barreling towards Naruto as he raised his arms before him.

"BIJU MODO!" Fiery orange energy covered Naruto from head to toe, a tattered energy coat forming around him. Naruto raised his arms and nine brilliant beams of power burst from his body, converging in front of the oncoming blast of magical power. Naruto grinned ferally as he felt the volatile Jupiter Cannon's energy try and penetrate the dense chakra constructs, to no avail. After several moments, Naruto noticed a light problem, the shinobi gritting his teeth as he felt himself being pushed back. Even after using his chakra to anchor himself didn't stop the backwards movement as the ground beneath him began to crumble.

'Uh, Kurama? I'm being pushed back, the ground's buckling! What the hell do I do now?'

**'...Uh... try not to crash head first into any walls?'**

"Oh HAH HAH smart ass... AH SHIT!" Naruto screamed loudly as he was sent flying towards the guild, his body bursting through the wall as he slowly rolled to a stop in the middle of the hall.

"NARUTO!" Naruto groaned as his Biju modo fell away, the bracer he wore now a dull red as it slowly began to fill again. A visibly concerned Mira raced towards him, the jinchūriki standing slowly before Mira pulled his arm over her shoulder, the pair walking out of the damaged building. Naruto leaned against Mira as he faced the imposing Golem, his hand raised in a one fingered salute that expressed his defiance. "Try again asshole!"

"A valiant effort, Uzumaki! But one I doubt you'll be able to repeat again! You've bought yourself a measly 15 extra minutes of life, tremble in terror at that thought!" Naruto grinned as he leaned against Mira, the barmaid grinning at her boyfriend.

"You were right," Naruto said, looking back at the now still golem,"The villain just can't help but monologue. Alright! SPECIAL FORCES, ATTACK!"

A winged cat flew overhead, his companion Natsu held firmly in his paws as he raced towards the structure. A Ice slide was rapidly constructed over top of the lake, as both Gray and Elfman slid down the slippery path towards their goal. Finally a dark shape took to the sky, Naruto grinning as he saw Erza garbed in her Black Wing Armor, the scarlet haired mage's battle cry splitting the air. Naruto grinned at Mira, leaning forward and kissing her lips quickly before he stood on his own.

"Well, I think it's time to join them! I'm coming for you, Jose!"

Phantom Lord Golem – Jose's Sanctum

"Feh, pathetic. Five mages against my elites? This will be easier than I thought." But, just as Jose had finished his thought an alarm sounded.

"Master! The lake, look!" Jose growled as he looked at the lake below them, the Guild Master's eyes widening as a veritable sea of orange clothed, blonde haired men were skimming across the water towards the Golem.

"Prepare for boarders! EXECUTE THEM ALL!"

There we have it, hope you enjoyed that one, seriously, if not you have to let me know otherwise I'll never get better. Also, lets see if anyone can guess who I modeled Naruto's interrogation technique after, it's from a movie, very well known but it did come out a while ago.


	7. Chapter 6

So, I decided to switch back and forth between stories, so here's a new chapter for you all! The longest yet, and hopefully you enjoy how it all turns out! Again, read, review, tell me what you like and hell, tell me if you don't like something! One with the insanity!

* * *

><p>Erza's armoured form soared through the air, her Heaven's Wheel armor glinting brightly in afternoon sun. Erza's eyes narrowing as she held her sword at the ready, her vision filled with the sight of Phantom Lord's mobile Guild hall growing closer by the second. 'Naruto's prediction was right, just like always. But, how did he know that Jose would attack us here?'<p>

Flashback

Erza watched as Naruto sat down at a now empty table, the majority of the guild members having left in high spirits after his his speech. Looking to her right, Erza smirked as she watched the others that Naruto had asked to stay behind.

Both Natsu and Grey were grinning broadly, their desire for a good fight overriding their normal violent reactions to one another. Elfman stood tall, his arms crossed over his chest as he waited patiently for Naruto to continue. And finally, Lucy looked at Naruto in undisguised surprise, the celestial spirit mage fidgeting nervously as Naruto smiled at the group of his friends arrayed before him.

"Naruto, come on! Why did you want us to stick around?" Erza cocked an eyebrow as Natsu dove directly into the questions, his impatient attitude flaring up once more. Stepping forward, Erza gently slapped the back of Natsu's head, sending the Dragon Slayer crashing into the ground. Erza grinned as she watched a grumbling Natsu stand on his feet once more, before an amused Naruto's laughter caught everyone's attention.

"Thank you, Erza. And it's simple, Natsu. I'm going to completely destroy Jose and his guild for this. It's gone way past a beat down, this is something that has got to be stopped and the only way that'll happen is if the man is completely crushed. And I'm going to need all of you to help me with this." Erza's eyes narrowed as she watched Naruto pull several sheets of paper out of his pocket, placing them on the table he was sitting at as he motioned for his friends to sit with him.

"Now, the most dangerous of all the Mage's in Phantom Lord at the Elemental Four, Gajeel and Jose. But, with Gajeel still in my tender care," Naruto snickered loudly, a sound Erza knew quite well. "He's really not an issue anymore. But, these other four are. You four are our best bet in going toe to toe with them, regardless of when or where this happens. With the information I've gotten from Gajeel, I'm fairly certain that Phantom Lord will attack Magnolia directly. We'll be here, waiting to spring the trap on them."

"But where do I fit into all of this?" Erza blinked as she glanced over at Lucy, her confused expression causing Erza to nod slowly.

"Yes Naruto, I agree with Lucy, the four of us should be more than enough to stop the Elemental Four. So what exactly will Lucy's role be in all of this?" Erza looked on as she watched Naruto's confident expression swiftly change to a smirk, the requip mage's eyes narrowing in suspicion at the shinobi's expression.

"Oh, don't worry Lucy, I'm not going to make you fight any of the higher-ups from Phantom Lord. We're going to be keeping you out of the fighting all together actually, not cause you can't fight but because we don't want those Phantom bastards to get lucky and snag you. Now, I've arranged for a special guard while you're in hiding... oh look, there he is now." Erza's eyes widened as she saw a shadowed figure walk into the light, a sound of shock escaping her lips.

"You..."

End Flashback

Erza's hand tightened around the hilt of her sword, her eyes flashing dangerously as she effortlessly cut through the outer wall of the mobile Guild. A pair of mages gaped in shock at the scarlet haired woman, their eyes widening as Erza lunged towards them. Erza's free hand slammed one of the mages into a wall, while she used the flat of her blade to slap the other mage against the unyielding stone floor. Quickly scanning the corridor, Erza found that there were no other enemies around and so she ran into the guild, looking for the target that she had been assigned.

Chapter 6

"I'm going to enjoy eviscerating that blonde bastard... oh yes, it will be glorious! Report!" Jose glared angrily at one of the mages that surrounded him, the nervous man that had been elected to deliver the latest report shuffling towards the furious guild master slowly.

"Sir, it appears that... well, that Uzumaki is assaulting the bulk of our main forces with his clones. Our members are taking significant loses, but the constructs should be wiped out shortly, that is to say once the Elemental Four enter the fight. There have also been reports of the remaining four members of Fairy Tail entering the guild, but no one knows exactly where they are at this time. As for the original Uzumaki... well... you better see for yourself."

Jose's eyes narrowed as he looked at the Lacrima before him once more, a look of surprise appearing as he listened to the conversation taking place between Naruto and Mira.

_Naruto sighed loudly, a smile gracing his lips as Mira continued fussing over the visibly amused shinobi._

"_Did you remember all your kunai and shuriken?"_

"_Yes dear."_

"_And did you bring your explosive tags?"_

"_Yes dear."_

"_Are you ready to go kick Jose's ass?"_

"_Yes dear."_

"_You know, you taking charge like this is really, really sexy. I've been holding myself back from just ripping off all your clothes and riding you right here, right now in front of everyone."_

"_Yes de... wait a minute, what?" Mira grinned impishly as she leaned forward, pecking a shocked Naruto's lips before quickly pulling back._

"_Just wanted to make sure you were still listening to me, Naruto-kun. Besides, that'll never happen, I'm only letting you see me like that. But, if you do a good job with Jose, I think I may have a 'reward' for you." Naruto shook his head in exasperation as he swatted Mira's ass gently, her soft squeal and saucy grin causing him to laugh softly. _

"_You know, you better get out of here, after all this isn't exactly the safest place to be right about now." Mira hummed softly as she placed a delicate finger to her chin, a coy smile gracing her features as she thought about the suggestion._

"_I think I'll wait for you and the others. Besides, I'm not the girl Jose is looking for, so I should be fine waiting for you." Naruto nodded sagely as he turned towards the looking guild building._

"_Oi, you hear that Jose! Now I don't want you involving Mira in this shit, else you'll have to pay the consequences!"_

Jose's eye twitched as he watched the scene before him, a powerful feeling of jealously gripping his black heart, yet his anger soon roared out of control at Naruto's final remark.

"I'm going to kill that lucky son of a bitch, him and his little girlfriend too!"

* * *

><p>"And damn you woman, don't give me dirty ideas like that... well, not right now at least! Now, I better get going, my clones are keeping the normal mages busy but that'll only last so long." Naruto leaped from the cliff face, the cool morning air ruffling his clothes as he fell towards Lake Sciliora. Grinning madly, Naruto landed lightly in a crouch, the shinobi rising to his feet as he looked towards the guild hall before him.<p>

**'Geez Kit, you and your dad sure do attract some real kinky women...'**

'Dammit Kurama, stop talking about my mom like that, Ero Kitsune... Now, let's focus on blowing up this guild and kicking Jose's ass.' Naruto stood tall, his chakra coated feet allowing the blonde to push off of the water below him, the shinobi swiftly picking up speed as his feet skimmed on top of the lake. Naruto raced forward, his arms pumping back and forth as he picked up speed, the shinobi quickly approaching the mobile guild. Several mages that had been stationed as look outs yelled angrily as they spotted the approaching shinobi, their magic lashing out as they tried to hit the blonde while he continued to coast on top of the lake.

**'Aw, isn't that cute, they think they can stop you with their magic.' ** Naruto smirked as he agilely manoeuvred around the hail of elemental energy thrown at him. Despite several minutes of intense fire, the lookouts hadn't managed to land a significant blow on the speeding shinobi, while Naruto was grinning like a loon due to all the high speed manoeuvring he was performing. But of course, all things must come to an end, this situation's end turned out to be that a squad of clones finally finding this group of lookouts. Naruto skidded to a stop as the magical assault abruptly ended, his grin growing as he listened to the very one sided beat down being doled out inside of the guild. Leaping in the air, Naruto's chakra coated feet stuck to one of the mechanical legs of the guild, the blonde racing towards the building proper. After climbing through a conveniently open window, Naruto gave the leader of the clone squad a fist bump as he pulled a large stack of explosive notes from his hip pouch, the majority of the clone assault forge cackling madly as they saw the ordinance their boss had brought. Naruto nodded in satisfaction as he watched his remaining clones trussing up the latest group of Phantom Lord prisoners.

"Report!" Naruto grinned as the clones before him snapped to attention, their exaggerated motioned causing the original to snicker softly as they delivered their report.

"SIR! The lower levels are clear of all Phantom Lord mages, the only ones left are the Elemental Four and Jose! Currently, Natsu is battling against Totomaru in the chamber that houses the Jupiter Cannon's main Lacrima! Gray is attempting to locate Juvia, while Elfman does the same for Sol! Finally, Erza has also found Aria and is currently engaged in combat! What are your orders, sir?" Naruto nodded , his gaze screaming satisfaction at how his plan was unfolding. The squad of clones watched their creator, grinning madly as they waited for the next part of his plan.

"Excellent! I'll handle Jose, after all I think he needs to be knocked down a peg or two. Now, I need... WHOA!" Naruto held his arms out as the mobile guild swayed dangerously, the unconscious mages rolling on the ground before several clones righted them once more.

"Huh, guess Natsu took out the Jupiter cannon... nice job, kid. Anyways, half of you to take these notes and place them around the guild here, the rest will round up the remaining Phantom members, I'm sure the council will want to have a few words with them." Naruto's clones nodded rapidly, the majority of then vanishing into the bowels of the mobile guild as they raced to fulfil their objectives, while the rest gathered up the unconscious mages and leaped off of the guild building, skimming across the lake to guard all of the prisoners that had been collected from Phantom Lord.

* * *

><p>Natsu sighed loudly a he dropped a still Totomaru to the ground, the once cocky mage groaning loudly as he fell upon the hard stone floor. Natsu grinned widely as he looked towards the destroyed Lacrima, it's shattered fragments scattered across the trashed control room. "Well, guess it's time to leave. Happy!" Natsu bent forward, his hand snagging his unconscious opponent as his partner floated into the air once more, the pair swiftly returning to their wrecked guild hall.<p>

Several minutes later: Guild Control Room

"Master, look! It's Totomaru!" Jose growled loudly as his viewing lacrima focused on the unconscious form draped over Salamander's shoulder, the Fairy Tail Mage grinning widely as he dropped his unresponsive cargo.

"Damn him! That brat must have been the one to destroy the Jupiter Cannon! It will take weeks to repair it, not to mention the cost of a new Lacrima! No matter, prepare to reconfigure the guild! The Jupiter Cannon is the least of their worries now, prepare the guild for an Abyss Break! We'll obliterate this eyesore of a guild..."

"But... Master, the town, they will be caught in the.. GHKK!" Jose's hand lashed out, grabbing the dissenting mage by his throat. Jose squeezed firmly as he pulled the mage towards him, his captive struggling uselessly as he began to gasp loudly, the mage's hands grasping as the powerful grip that held him aloft.

"PREPARE THE GUILD FOR AN ABYSS BREAK. NOW." Jose dropped his gasping minion to the ground, the mage desperately drawing breath as he scurried away. Jose then breathed deeply, his eyes sliding shut as he raised his hands.

"And as for Uzumaki, I think it's time I introduce him to my magic."

* * *

><p>Naruto whistled merrily as he wandered the corridors of the seemingly empty guild, the young shinobi placing a explosive tag at random intervals while looking out for anything of value. 'Hey, you attack me and my home, prepare to lose everything in the attempt!' Naruto spied an ornate vase sitting on a pedestal, just begging to be picked up. Rubbing his hands in glee, Naruto unfurled a sealing scroll, placed the vase on top of it and a moment later the vase was missing, a puff of smoke the only indication that there had been an item atop the open scroll.<p>

**'Wait, so while we're going after the man that's destroyed your guild and is basically threatening your extended family, your not only going to kick his ass but you're also gonna rob him blind?'**

'HELLS YEAH!' Naruto waited as his partner began to weigh the pros and cons of this action, before finally giving his answer.

**'Seems legit, go for it!'**

But just as Naruto reached for the scroll, a muffled sound attracted the shinobi's attention. Naruto looked behind him, his expression puzzled for a moment before it swiftly changed to one of annoyance.

"Dammit, this is karma, ain't it? Inari dammit, I swear, this is so not fair." Naruto expression shifted to a deadpan one, Kurama's hysterical laughter at the situation causing Naruto to growl internally. Naruto focused on the swarm of shadowy figures that swiftly approached him, Jose's magical signature literally dripping off of the imposing group that blocked Naruto's path. "So, Jose thinks he can stop a master of clones with all of these, does he?" Naruto raised his hands, dozens of smoke blasts appearing around him as the hall was filled with a renewed swarm of Kage Bunshin.

"Bring it, bitch."

* * *

><p>Sol gasped loudly, his erratic breathing hitching in his throat as he gazed into the angry eyes of his doom. 'Non non non! This is not possible! The boy should not be able to do this, it should be beyond his powers!' Sol trembled as he backed away from the massive beast that towered over him, it's furious gaze boring into the beaten man as he continued to try and escape.<p>

Elfman roared loudly, his fully transformed body towering over the cowering Phantom mage. Raising his furry arms into the air, Elfman roared once more, causing Sol to scream in fright, the Phantom mage passing out not only from the fear that beset him, but also the extensive injuries he had suffered during the beat down Elfman had administered. Elfman snorted loudly, his magical power receding as he regained his natural form once more. Crouching down, Elfman picked up the unresponsive Sol, the take over mage turning back towards the corridor he had ran down as he carried his newest burden out of the doomed building.

"Naruto... thank you, for everything."

* * *

><p>Naruto paused for a moment, an inexplicable feeling of pure awesomeness washing over the shinobi as he backhanded the shade he was facing, the magical construct falling to the ground before fading away.<p>

'YES! Feel the awesomeness that is Naruto! I dunno what just happened, but it had to be bad ass!'

**'Yeah, about that, we really need to talk about you and you over usage of the word awesome, don't you know any other adjectives?'**

'None that are as awesome as awesome! Now, stop raining on my parade!'

Grinning savagely, Naruto leaped forward, his hands blurring as he flung countless kunai at the swarm of shades arrayed before him.

* * *

><p>Gray panted loudly as he stared at the large tower of ice before him, the frozen water containing his opponent as she finally began to cool off. After several minutes, Gray snapped his fingers, shattering the tower of ice and dropping Juvia to the ground. Gray watched in surprise as Juvia slowly rose to her knees, her arms trembling as she tried to force herself to stand once more. Leaning forward, Gray's hand latched onto the water mage's forearm, gently helping her stand. Juvia's eyes widened as she felt her arm stretching across Gray's shoulders, the Ice mage grinning roguishly at the silent Phantom Mage.<p>

"So, do you give up?" Juvia's mouth rapidly opened and closed several times, the Water Mage's eyes rolling back as she passed out. Gray blinked slowly as he noticed the intense blush staining Juvia's cheeks, the dense young man writing it off as unimportant as he carried his cargo out of the mobile guild hall.

Guild Control Room

Jose seethed as his guild slowed to a crawl in preparation of the Abyss Break, the cause of which was now blatantly displayed for all to see. 'Three of the Elemental Four have been beaten! Inconceivable!' Jose's teeth began to grind in fury as his magical aura burst into being.

"That's it. No more games. I will destroy these pests myself." Jose's furious gaze focused on the scene displayed on his lacrima, a smiling Mirajane waving at Gray as the Ice mage deposited an unconscious Juvia on the ground before entering Magnolia. Jose laughed softly, a plan finally coming together as the man focused on the unsuspecting woman in his sight.

* * *

><p>Mira sighed as she looked at the members of the Elemental Four laid out before her, the young barmaid shaking her head as she looked towards the looking building. 'That Naruto, he knew putting the unconscious members of the Elemental Four out here would piss off Jose. You never change, do you?' But while Mira was focusing on the building before her, she never noticed the dark magic swirling behind her until it was too late. Suddenly a shadowy hand clamping over the young woman's mouth, the shade's other arm pulled the thrashing woman towards itself. Mira continued to struggle mightily, but it was too late as the pair swiftly disappeared into the shadows.<p>

* * *

><p>Naruto sighed happily, his clones having finally finished clearing out the horde of shades that had ambushed the shinobi. 'Now, back to pilfering... I mean, 'saving' the things of value in this place!' Just as Naruto was about to continue with his search, a loud voice echoed through the empty guild hall.<p>

"Uzumaki, I have been monitoring your progress and I must say that I am impressed with what you've done with that guild of pathetic mages you joined up with. You may have defeated my men, but I have something that I think holds great value for you." Naruto cocked an eyebrow as he stood still, wondering what Jose had that could possibly be that important.

"Naruto-kun... h-he snuck up on me.." Naruto's eyes blinked slowly, a ball of ice settling in his gut as he heard the familiar voice.

'Wait... that's Mira... ' Naruto growled as began heading deeper into the guild, his chakra forming a brilliant blue aura that brightened as he listened to the laboured breaths from his girlfriend.

"Yes, I seem to have acquired one of the lovely women that overly populate the ranks of Fairy Tail. She may not be my target, Lucy Heartfila, but I'm sure I can think of all sorts of amusing things to do to her!" Naruto growled loudly as Jose's insane laughter echoed down the hall. Looking towards the ceiling, Naruto spied the speaker that Jose was using, his hand whipping forward angrily. A kunai flew out of Naruto's sleeve, the sharp dagger easily slicing through the device, it's destruction causing Jose's laughter to cut off abruptly, but the anger that Naruto felt refused to fade.

"No one kidnaps my girlfriend, Jose. Time to teach you the true meaning of fear and despair."

**'Oh yes gaki, I like that idea. No mercy!'**

* * *

><p>Erza panted softly, her gaze focusing on the defeated form of Aria, the final member of the Elemental Four. Taking a calming breath, Erza's Heaven's Wheel Armor flared brightly before vanishing, the requip mage crouching as she prepared to drag the insensate man out of the doomed building.<p>

"Ah, Titania, I see that the stories of your prowess were not exaggerated.." Erza's eyes widened at the sibilant voice, the S-class mage shifting her gaze towards this new presence that stood behind her. Erza's expression rapidly shifted from surprise to fury at the sight of Jose Porla, the smug looking Wizard Saint holding a bleeding Mirajane.

"MIRA!" Erza roared loudly, her form bathed in a blinding light that soon revealed her Black Wing Armor, the magical armor allowing the enraged Erza to swoop towards the smirking man before her. Erza growled loudly as Jose ducked under her whistling blade, the evil grin on Jose's face causing Erza to continue slashing wildly at the man. Jose tossed Mirajane aside, the young woman biting back a scream as she slammed heavily into the wall. Erza raised her sword over her head, determined to cut Jose down to size, when the man before her rapidly raised his arm, his hand bathed in a dark energy. Erza's eyes widened as she tried to dodge, but it was too late as a pulse of dark energy slammed into her, sending the requip mage skidding along the ground. Panting heavily, Erza struggled to rise to her feet, her sword acting as a crutch while Jose looked at her with disgusted eyes.

"ERZA!" Erza glanced at Mirajane, the young woman weakly stretching her arm towards her friend before passing out. But soon Erza's vision was filled with the sight of a devilishly smirking Jose, his hands glowing with dark energy. Erza tried to stand, but her knees buckled, causing the young woman to crash into the ground.

"Pitiful. One blast and you're already finished. It would be more merciful to end it right now, you'd just end up suffering if you continued to resist. I think it's time for me to start exterminating all of you, starting with you my dear."

Erza grimaced as she felt the evil energy gathering before her, the amount of power that Jose was generating causing the young woman to close her eyes in resignation.

'Goodbye, everyone...' Every muscle in Erza's body tensed as she waited for the final blow to land, when a familiar presence rapidly approached the room. A violent burst of wind forced Erza to close her eyes against the debris flying around the room, the requip mage feeling a sliver of hope when she heard Jose growl in fury. As the violent wind died down, the requip mage weakly opened her eyes once more, tears of relief streaming from her eyes as she saw a familiar red coat standing protectively over her. Placing her hands on the ground, Erza tried to push herself up, but the fighting had been too much for her, the young woman swiftly losing the battle to stay conscious.

"Naruto..."

* * *

><p>Jose glared at the hand that was clenched around his wrist, the same hand that redirected the blast of darkness magic the Wizard Saint prepared towards the now destroyed ceiling of the guild. Jose growled loudly as his eyes looked into the furious gaze of the man that had caused all of the setbacks this operation had experienced.<p>

"Uzumaki..." Naruto growled as he contemptuously tossed Jose across the room, the guild master cursing loudly as he was slammed into a pillar. Naruto spat towards the rapidly rising guild master, his intent gaze never wavering as he watched his opponent begin gathering his magic once more, the shinobi nearly breathing a sigh of relief as he felt a pair of his clones burst into the room, both of them racing towards Erza and Mirajane.

"Boss, we've got'em! We're bugging out, kick his ass!" Naruto grinned evilly, his chakra slowly gathering around him like a shroud as he slowly strode towards the now furious Jose.

"Oh, I will. Believe it. After all, some asshole decided to ignore my warning and now I need to educate him." Naruto raced forward, his eyes registering Jose's shocked expression as he slammed a chakra infused fist into the Wizard Saint's stomach, sending Jose careening through the thick stone wall. Naruto slowly strode through the hole that Jose's body had created, his furious gaze focusing on the man that was, once again, slowly rising to his feet. "Attack me, I'll laugh and give you a beat down. Attack my family, I'll take everything you own and beat you down. But if you attack Mira... I won't hesitate to kill you, Jose. I'm not like the others in Fairy Tail."

Jose snarled loudly, his hands rising as several of his shades gathered around him, their forms spiralling around one another until a sphere of violet energy was formed. "DEDDO VĒVU!" Naruto stood tall, his eyes glaring at Jose as the blast of vile magic barrelled towards him. As the shinobi was engulfed in the blast of energy, Jose began to cackle madly, confident that his power would incinerate the fool.

"My, such a nice light show. But useless against someone like me." Jose's eyes widened in surprise, the Wizard Saint spinning around as he tried to find his opponent. "There's something very important you need to know Jose. I'm not a mage, never have been and never will be."

"Impossible! The powers that you wield could only be magic!" A soft laugh echoed throughout the empty room, the condescending sound causing Jose to lash out with a pulse of dark magic, the arc of energy sending debris in to the air once more.

"Ah Jose, so closed minded and simplistic. You don't know how lucky you all are to have a world like this. Don't you know that there are things that are greater than any of us? Other worlds and dimensions, each with their own powers and abilities. I am from one of them, I'm a shinobi. Your world is a paradise compared to mine, my world is a place of constant violence and bloodshed." Jose growled loudly, but that was cut off as he bit back a cry of pain, a black knife embedding itself in one of his arms. Ripping the weapon from his arm, Jose tossed the item to the ground negligently, his magic once more encircling his body.

"Impossible! No mage has ever been able to cross dimensions, there doesn't exist any magic that is able to accomplish this!" Jose's eyes began to droop just before he fell to his knees, a mocking laugh from the unseen shinobi causing the mage to growl weakly. "Wh-what's...what's happening to m-me?"

"Well, to answer your second question, Jose... the world I come from is filled with shinobi, it's people locked in constant conflict for generations. Intense battles of epic proportions are fought constantly using elemental powers similar to magic. But, it's the simpler things that set a shinobi apart. For example, their understanding of tactics, their ability to blend in with the shadows... their usage of poisons." Jose's eyes widened slightly, his breath rapidly increasing as he looked around the room in fear. "Yes... I see you understand now. You have been poisoned. A poison that will be undetectable, untraceable... and will remove you from this world's existence." Jose's eyes began to flutter as the once powerful Wizard Saint began to panic, his laboured breathing finally slowing as he lost consciousness. Naruto dropped down from the ceiling, his foot gently prodding the man before him. "Feh, dumb ass. As if I'd kill you and let you off the hook. Well, time to haul his ass out of here, I got a building to destroy."

* * *

><p>Lucy looked towards the three men that were before her, Gray and Elfman bandaging their wounds while Natsu continued to consume large amounts of fire. As the young girl looked over to her left, she grinned cheekily at Gajeel while the dragon's slayer's body sat frozen in a chair, a seal from Naruto glowing brightly on his chest. Lucy smirked as she remembered Naruto explaining how the seal would prevent all movement, but still allow the person under it to see and hear everything around him. Just as she was about to walk over and see if they needed any help, the door to Fairy Tail's hideout was forced open, causing the three men to stand in front of Lucy protectively.<p>

"Nee-chan!" Elfman was the first to run forward, his arms reaching out to his wounded sister, a concerned Natsu and Gray hot on his heels once they saw an unconscious Erza in the arms of Naruto's other clone. Once the two girls were laid on the ground, Lucy ran forward, her arms full of bandages for the new arrivals. Both clones stood up, watching intently as the girls were treated for their injuries.

"Keep an eye on them, we're going to go check on something." Elfman nodded resolutely, his eyes never leaving the pair of unconscious girls before him. Both clones exited the building, leaping atop the roof and gazing out towards the still standing Phantom Lord Guild. An almost invisible presence appeared behind the pair, causing both clones to grin.

"Oi, any problems with Lucy?"

"Hardly. And if someone had managed to track her down, I would have put them down. Hard." Both clones turned around, their grins widening as Mystogan walked towards them, one of his magical staffs held in his hand.

"Sweet. The real Naruto should be back right about..." The clone that spoke trailed off as Naruto landed on the rooftop, the shinobi roughly dropping his cargo on the ground. Mystogan walked forward, prodding the still unconscious Jose with his staff. Moments later four more clones appeared, each of them carrying the members of the defeated Elemental Four.

"Hmm, it appears that we've won."

"Not yet." Naruto's hands flashed out, the snake hand sign forming instantly after many years of practice. A massive explosion from Lake Sciliora engulfing the remains of the Phantom Lord building, the once proud building breaking apart as it slid beneath the normally placid waters of the lake..

"Ok, Now we've won."

Sometime later

"Mmmm..." Mira groaned softly, the young woman wishing that she would fall back asleep so that she didn't have to feel the assorted aches and pains after she had been beaten by...

"Jose!" Mira rose out of the bed, or at least she tried too before she felt her body protesting, the pain radiating from the various injuries causing the young woman to wince, her eyes closing as she hissed out loud. A warm hand pressed down gently on Mirajane's shoulder, the bar maid opening her eyes and looking into the eyes of the person that had rescued her. "Naruto..." Mira lunged at the shinobi, ignoring the pained protests of her body, tears running unashamedly down her cheeks s she clung to the blonde. Mira rubbed her cheek against the shinobi's chest when she felt Naruto's strong arms holding her tight, Mira's tears slowing as she relished the warmth that Naruto exuded.

"Hey, it's ok beautiful. I got him, he's not going to be a problem for us anymore." Mira pulled back, her hand gently brushing Naruto's cheek before she leaned forward, kissing Naruto deeply. Mira's joy at kissing her lover swiftly turned to confusion as Naruto stiffened up, his body trying to pull away form the sign of affection.

"Uhhh..." Mira's eyes widened, the young woman's mind panicking as she heard someone near her speak. Pulling away from the wide eyed shinobi, Mira looked at the shocked and surprised faces of her brother, Natsu, Gray and Erza. Lucy, on the other hand...

"HAH! I KNEW IT!" Mira saw the angry glare of Erza and reacted accordingly, quickly burying her lover's face in her chest before he could run., the young woman glaring at the now angry requip mage.

"Mira, it was you..." Mira held onto Naruto's head tightly, the shinobi seemingly relaxing in the woman's embrace as he enjoyed his current accommodations.

"Yes, it was me, Naruto's mine, so you really need to stop being so angry with him. He didn't tell you that I was his girlfriend because we both knew you had a crush on him, and after your little episode in the bar after you confessed to Naruto, I wasn't willing to risk you attacking him."

"Attack him? What the heck are you talking about?"

Flashback – The day after Erza asked Naruto out on a date

A visibly drunk Erza waved a large mug over her head, her angry stare causing everyone to freeze. "If I hear of any a youshe girlsh getting together with Naruto, I'll cut'ya! Then, I'll kick Naruto'sh assh!" Every woman in the guild blinked their eyes slowly, watching as Erza fell face first onto her table, her mug rolling along the ground as she began snoring loudly. Looking towards the bar, the entire guild watched as Naruto banged his head slowly against the bar top, a giggling Mira rubbing the shinobi's shoulder consolingly.

End flashback

"I was drunk! We all say stupid things when we're drunk... or we fight. Actually we usually do both... never mind, that's not the point! Do you really think I even remembered that?" Mira continued to cling to her boyfriend, his hands sliding down her back and resting on her ass as he got comfortable.

"I wasn't willing to risk it! Who cares if he heals insanely fast, he shouldn't have to get in a fight with you about this. He didn't want to be in a situation where he had to fight you to protect me, so we kept quiet." Erza sighed explosively, the other members of Fairy Tail watching the drama unfold before them in awe.

"So, how long have the two of you been going out?" Mira smiled sadly, her fingers running thorough Naruto's hair as she held him close.

"Ever since Lisanna died. She knew we both loved each other and wanted us to be happy." Erza sighed once more, dropping her hands to her sides as she sat down heavily.

"So over two years. Alright, fine, the blonde idiot is yours, I won't attack you." Naruto started to pull his head from Mira's chest, but the young woman tightened her grip as she glared at Erza.

"So I'm safe, what about Naruto?" Erza scoffed, her arms crossing under her breasts as she leaned back in her chair.

"Damn, of course you'd catch that. Fine, I won't attack Naruto either." Mira smiled warmly, her arms loosening and allowing Naruto to sit up.

"Best... conversation... ever..." Mira giggled as she kissed Naruto's cheek, her hand grasping onto the shinobi's as Naruto let the wounded woman lean against him.

"Finally, I was worried that you two would never reveal your relationship to the rest of the guild." Everyone looked towards the doorway, a smirking Makarov entering the building. Naruto waved from the bed he was on, Mira's tight grip on her arm preventing the shinobi from rising.

"Yo, Jiji! So, how did it go?" Makarov grinned as he shrugged his shoulders, jumping an a nearby chair and sighing loudly.

"Pretty much as expected. No fatalities, on either side. A lot of bumps and bruises, a few broken bones but nothing too serious. The entire Phantom Lord guild system is destroyed, they'll never recover from this. Now, it's time to relax. I think we all deserve a break."

The next day

"HALT IN THE NAME OF THE COUNCIL! WE ARE HERE TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE INTER-GUILD WAR BETWEEN FAIRY TAIL AND PHANTOM LORD!" Makarov began to cry loudly, the Master of Fairy Tail realizing that his worries were just beginning. An entire contingent of stern faced Rune Knights converged on the destroyed Fairy Tail building, the guild members groaning as they surrendered peacefully. Well...

"YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE! RUN, HAPPY!" Erza groaned as she watched Natsu and Happy run into Magnolia, realizing that it was too much to hope that the pair of idiots would stay put.

'But at least everyone else stayed he...'

"Hey, jiji! Have fun with the Rune Knights!" Makarov spun around swiftly, an imperious finger pointed at a smirking Naruto. Erza growled loudly, glaring at the shinobi that stood on a rooftop near the destroyed guild.

"Damn you Naruto, get your ass down here! Suffer with the rest of your family, it's your duty!" Naruto laughed loudly, the shinobi reaching down and grasping a limp body in his hand.

"Nah, I'll pass, I think we'll let this guy do the talking!" Naruto tossed the person he was holding to the ground, the mages of Fairy Tail and the Rune Knights all staring at the frozen body of Gajeel Redfox. Seconds after the Dragon Slayer landed, the seal that restrained him broke, the mage growling loudly as he fought against his bonds.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE, UZUMAKI! THERE WON'T BE ENOUGH LEFT OF YOU TO IDENTIFY THE BODY!" Naruto laughed loudly as he ran into the city, the leader of the Rune Knights sighing as he watched the man disappear.

"And so it begins...again. They don't pay us enough for this shit. Zeta squad, go hunt down Uzumaki." A chorus of groans were the only response, the captain shrugging his shoulders as he gestured in the direction the shinobi had disappeared. "Come on, you're the only squad he hasn't completely humiliated, you know he's weak against women, you were specifically put together on this mission for a situation like this! Move out!" The all woman Zeta squad grumbled loudly as they entered Magnolia itself, remembering the last time they had to track down the elusive Fairy Tail member.

The Rune Knight Captain watched the squad enter the city, sighing as he rubbed his neck tiredly. 'Although, while he doesn't humiliate them, he does still make it nearly impossible for them to find him.' Turning back towards Makarov, the Captain gestured at the tent that his squad had erected.

"Wizard Saint Makarov, if you would follow me please?"

* * *

><p>Naruto landed in front of his house, a tender smile appearing as he quietly entered the building. As the shinobi placed his coat on a convenient chair, his silent feet took him towards the bedroom, his eyes focusing on the sleeping figure before him.<p>

Mira's face sported several small bandages, the young woman sleeping peacefully as she clutched a large pillow to her chest. 'Damn, I so wish I was that pillow right now...' Mira groaned softly, a cute yawn passing her lips as she rubbed at her eyes. Mira blinked slowly, her bleary eyes focusing on the man before her. A tired smile lit up her face as the young woman snuggled against her body pillow. 'Hey, wanna take the place of this pillow? I'd rather be holding you." Just as Naruto was about to take Mira up on that offer, a loud pounding at the front door caused the shinobi to scowl.

"I'd love to baby, but I think I need to go and piss off some Rune Knights first." Mira cocked an eyebrow as she slowly rose from their bed, the still recovering mage grabbing a housecoat as she followed Naruto out of their room. "What's the big... oh... oh shit, they sent you? Dammit, I made sure you were all assigned to the Bosco border, I forged the documents mysel... Um, I mean I verified the documents myself!" Mira looked over Naruto's shoulder in confusion, the nervous tone of Naruto's voice making her wonder just who had been sent after the blonde.

"SENSEI! A brown haired girl rocketed forward, her slight build barely fazing Naruto as she latched onto the shinobi tightly. Naruto chuckled nervously as he tried to remove the tenacious girl, all the while doing his best to ignore the towering inferno of female rage behind him.

**'Seriously, how the fuck do you keep getting into situations like this?!'**

'Dammit, stop wondering about something we'll never have an answer for and help me out of this! She's like a leech, how the hell do I get rid of her?!' But while Naruto was busy communicating with his partner, Mira decided that she was tired of waiting, pulling the two people into the house and slamming the door shut. The remaining members of Zeta squad all grinned devilishly at each other before they burst out in laughter.


	8. Chapter 7

Explosions echoed within the forest outside of Magnolia, the sounds of which had drawn the attention of many of the town's inhabitants. All of the people that were watching the pyrotechnics suddenly froze, they recognized the flustered voice of Magnolia's mayor.

"What's going on? Let us through, clear a path people!" Several of the townspeople stepped aside, their gaze focusing on the agitated form of their mayor. Several soldiers surrounded the smartly dressed man, their nervousness apparent as their hands fidgeted with their weapons.

"Just yesterday, the town was almost destroyed by a rogue guild, and now something is destroying the forest surrounding our home! What is going on here?" Each of the silent townspeople looked at each other, as if trying to decide who would be the one to deliver some sort of terrible news. Finally, a young boy escaped his mother's grasp, running towards the mayor and beaming brightly at the annoyed official as he tugged on the man's pant leg.

"Jiji, it was really cool! We saw a bunch girls chasing after Naruto! And a while after they entered the forest, all those cool noises and lights started going off!" The mayor sighed, his his agitation swiftly changing to annoyance.

'Fairy Tail, you bring in mountains of new business each day, you spend your mission payments in town and help Magnolia prosper... and then you screw it all up by blowing shit up! Seriously... why me? What did I do to deserve this?' The townspeople watched in surprise as the Mayor stiffly turned from the forest, tears streaming down his cheeks as he made his way towards his office once more, the official realizing that any actions he could take were futile in this situation.

Chapter 7

Flashback, - 10 Minutes earlier

Naruto began to breath erratically as he senses registered the rising levels of killing intent, the shinobi grabbing the brunette that was wrapped around his waist and tugging mightily on her arms once again. But try as he might, the young woman continued to rub her cheek against Naruto's chest, the blissfully ignorant girl giggling merrily as she held onto the terrified shinobi. 'Shit, she's like a freaking leech! Kurama, gimme an idea to get outta this, I don't wanna die!'

**'Grovel and beg for forgiveness for the rest of your miserable life? Which, incidentally, shouldn't last much longer...'** Naruto froze in his futile struggles as he sensed that Mira's killing intent had peaked, a storm of dark energy swirling around the beautiful woman as she glared at the scene before her. Gulping nervously, Naruto slowly turned his head towards the malevolent entity that had replaced his loving girlfriend as he tried to get free once more.

Mira's head was bowed, hiding the young woman's eyes and features from Naruto's gaze, but the blonde didn't need these normal visual aids to determine Mira's current emotional state. A dark aura surrounded the woman, the field of energy flowing around her as if it were a deadly miasma of death.

'I'm so dead.'

**'Well, it is your fault for going out with someone that gets insanely jealous over shit like this.'**

'Would you say no to Mira if she offered you her love for the rest of her life, and an insane amount of hot, kinky, sex?'

**'...Fuck no, that'd be stupid!'**

'Thank you for proving my point, now stop perving on my girl, furball, and do something useful!'

Naruto ignored Kurama's annoyed growl as he finally managed to free himself from the giggling girl, his eyes focusing on the silent form standing before him. "Mira? Babe, are you ok?"

Mira's head rose slowly, a devilish smirk gracing her features as she laughed softly. Naruto gulped loudly, the soft laughter causing his blood to run cold at the fact that someone could make something as innocent as laughter into a weapon that inspired terror in all who heard it. Licking his lips nervously, Naruto focused on his apparently furious girlfriend as he mentally prepared for his imminent escape.

**'Well, look on the bright side, you'll finally get to put those escape tunnels you made for the house to good use! You should be happy that you're finally getting a chance to test them out!'**

'You're NOT helping, Kurama!'

**'I'm supposed to be helping you? Pass, I prefer laughing at you while you try and dig yourself out outta this hole you've fallen into.'**

'I will lock you back up in the seal so fast your head'll spin if you try and abandon me in my time of need!' But before Kurama could retort, Naruto froze as Mira posed a simple question to our blonde hero.

"Naruto... who is this? And why is latching onto you like that?" Naruto opened his mouth to respond, hoping that his words were enough to stave off the eruption of Mira's anger, but the young woman that had recently been clinging to the shinobi spun around, her arms latching onto Naruto's arm once more as she glared at the taller Mirajane.

"OI! Leave Sensei alone! You're interrupting Elysia's time with Sensei," Naruto's eyes widened as Mira's mouth dropped open in shock at this statement, the shinobi frantically shaking his head in denial. "Elysia loves her time with Sensei, you shouldn't interrupt it! Elysia has missed Sensei since he left three months ago to come back to his guild, so Elysia is collecting on the snuggles that she's missed!" Mira's shock changed to a look of rage in an instant, her eyes focusing on the brunette girl standing before her.

"Oh, you love being with him, do you? Well, I think that there is a small problem with that," Mira said, her hand pulling a seemingly frozen Naruto towards her, the take over mage staring down at the young girl that had the gall to continue clinging to her boyfriend. "After all, I know he loves me, and I am his girlfriend. So I'd really appreciate it if you let go of him... right now." Naruto's eyes looked down as he heard Elysia growl loudly, her grip tightening as she stomped a foot on the ground, the shorter girl looking up at Mira defiantly.

"NO! Sensei is mine, you can't have him, you... you old hag!" Naruto nearly fell to the ground as his senses registered a spike in Mira's killing intent, one that surpassed all previous levels that the girl had reached since the shinobi had met her.

**'Wow, Elysia sure has some big, brass, cajones to be calling Mira a hag... and seriously, she really needs her eyes checked if she thinks Mira is a hag.'** Naruto was sweating now as he he fell back into his flight instinct, his chakra already preparing his escape route from the house.

"Hag... heheheheh... well at least I'm not an immature little brat like you!" Mira's eyes sparked dangerously as she placed a hand on Elysia's head, her open hand squeezing as she continued to glare at the young girl as her temper began to get away from her normally iron hard control. Naruto wisely decided to capitalize on the opening he had just been given, his form disappearing in a burst of leaves while both girls attentions were focused on each other. Both girls stumbled at the sudden disappearance of Naruto, the pair growling loudly as they glared at one another. Each of the girls stepped back, their fingers pointing angrily at each other as both woman simultaneously screamed in anger.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, BRAT/HAG!"

* * *

><p>Naruto gasped for breath, the blonde kneeling on the rooftop of a building that stood near his home. Taking a deep breath, Naruto closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he listened to the furious pair of woman in his home, the volume of their shouting continuing to rise, along with their anger towards each other.<p>

"Wow Sensei, you're in a whole heap of trouble." Naruto groaned, a delicate hand now patting his shoulder as the blonde looked up forlornly at the woman that now stood over him.

"Maren-chan, why did you let Elysia do that? Now Mira is going to kill me! And I didn't even do anything wrong... this time!" The now identified Maren giggled as she brushed her blonde hair over her shoulder, the tall woman standing up one more and offering a predatory smile to the shinobi as her hands rested on her curvy hips.

"Well, I did learn from the best, after all. 'Never give your opponent an out, make them follow your rules', ne?" Naruto groaned as his own lessons were used against him, realizing that he was being played... again. "Now, Naruto-Sensei, if you come quietly with me and Zeta Squad, I'll calm Mira-san down and explain the situation to her."

Naruto gaze narrowed as he stood, the blonde studying the smug woman that now stood before him. "Not bad, Maren-chan... BUT STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" A burst of smoke covered the rooftop, a coughing Maren scanning the nearby buildings for her now missing quarry. A loud burst of laughter caused the young woman to whirl around, her eyes narrowing as she saw Naruto standing on the roof a across the street.

"YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE, MAREN-CHAN! YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS AS THE DAY THAT YOU ALMOST CAPTURED UZUMAKI..."

"'Now, Candra-san." Naruto's triumphant look quickly morphed into confusion as he looked over head, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw a shapely redhead falling towards him, the young woman's hand cradling a crackling sphere of electricity.

"Kuso..."

"Catch, Naru-Sensei! _Raijin no chēn!_"Naruto tried to dodge the incoming spell but it was too late, the spell catching the blonde in a moment, entrapping the shinobi in chains of elemental magic. A smiling Candra landed lightly on the roof top, the busty redhead tapping the trapped Naruto lightly on his nose. "Now, now, Naru-Sensei, are you trying to run away from your cute little students? Shame on you, I think you need a reminder of what happens when you make us sad!"

Just as Candra reached a hand out towards the chained shinobi, Maren's eyes narrowed as she continued to study the unusually docile shinobi. The leader of Zeta Squad's eyes widened as she saw a subtle smirk appear on the trapped man's lips, a sign of impending attack... or embarrassment. "Candra, it's a trap!"

Candra's hand stopped abruptly, her eyes widening in shock as she saw her prisoner glowing brightly. "Congrats, Candra-chan! You finally caught me with that attack! _ Bunshin Daibakuha!_" Candra screamed loudly, her arms covering her face as... the clone burst into a cloud of smoke, surprising the pair of Rune knights.

"Seriously? Did you two think I'd actually hurt either of you?" Both Maren and Candra spun around, a grinning Naruto saluting the pair as he made his escape, hopping from rooftop to rooftop. A seething Candra looked to her side as Maren landed on the roof top, her eyes flashing dangerously as lightning arced down her exposed arms.

"Damn bastard, scared the shit outta me!"

"We'll worry about that later, take the others and go after him! I'll get Elysia, move out!" Maren dropped to the street as Candra chased after the loudly laughing Naruto, the remaining members of Zeta Squad forming up on the livid Lightning mage as they raced through the streets of Magnolia.

* * *

><p>Mira growled as she glared at the hostile young girl standing before her, the pair having finally given up on screaming at each other. Mira looked up as the door to her home opened once more, her glared returning in full force as another woman entered. Mira observed the new arrival as a smile graced her lips before she bowed respectfully at the white haired woman. Mira watched in surprise as the newcomer rose from her bow, raised her hand and sent Elysia pitching forward, the hard slap to the back of Elysia's head causing Mira to smirk widely. Mira's opinion of this new woman rose rapidly from this single action.<p>

"Maren-chan!"

"Elysia, how many times have I told you to stop doing that to Naruto-Sensei, especially in front of his girlfriend!" Elysia growled childishly as she rubbed her tender head, growling at the taller woman.

"Mou! Maren-chan, this hag is trying to take Naruto-Sensei from us!" A threatening growl from Mirajane cause the now identified Maren to sigh loudly, her fingers massaging the bridge of her nose. Mira had a nagging feeling that this was an old conversation between the two women.

"Elysia... Naruto is not something that belongs to anyone, we've talked about this. Mira-san, I'm very sorry about this, Elysia is a little... attached to Naruto-Sensei. I'll explain later, but for now I'd like to ask for your help." Mira's eyes narrowed as she studied the serious woman before her.

"And what exactly would I be helping you with?" Mira didn't know why but she had a feeling that she would enjoy helping this woman, if her devilish grin was any indication of her intent.

"Why Mira-san, we'd appreciate your help in capturing your boyfriend. After all, he does need to be brought down a peg or two every now and then, ne?"

Meanwhile, in the forest...

Naruto panted softly as he leaned against a tree, the blonde grinning as he glanced around the trunk he was using for cover. Once he had entered the forest, the four remaining members of Zeta squad had split into pairs, hoping to flush the man out before there was too much collateral damage. A clone of Naruto had observed all of this, it's memories causing the blonde to grin as he watched the first pair approach his position, a blonde and her blue haired partner. Naruto grinned as he watched the visibly annoyed young women trudging angrily through the forest in pursuit of their quarry. Naruto closed his eyes, his enhanced hearing allowing the blonde to hear every word the pair spoke, their conversation causing the blonde to stifle a chuckle as he waited for the right moment to strike.

"I mean come on, do you really think that we can take down Naru-Sensei?" Naruto grinned as he heard his fellow blonde speaking of his martial prowess, the shinobi continuing to listen to the conversation. "It's not like he's going to drop out of the sky and land in our laps!" Naruto held back a snicker as he used shuinshin to disappear into the forest, the sound of his soft laughter echoing through the forest.

"Wait, did you hear that?" The blonde Rune Knight's hands spread out before her, blue flames racing up her arms before forming a pair of flaming wings on her back. Her partner narrowed her gaze as she watched her companion's tense body, the blue haired girl sighing loudly.

"Come on Silya, you're jumping at shadows. He's not here, lets get moving." But before the two young woman could move, a mocking laugh caused them to freeze in place, their heads scanning the dark forest intently. Both girls saw a shadowy figure flitting through the trees, his presence vanishing before they could race after him.

Silya's flaming wings curved around her body protectively as a single kunai raced out of the darkness, the dagger melting rapidly as it reached the flaming pinions.

"Sensei, you know it's a waste to throw those at me, my _Tenshi no honō_ will destroy any projectile that approaches me. Besides, we both know that it's a smarter choice to attack Aleta, she's been scared of you the moment that she met you. It also helps that she's scared of being alone in a forest."

"I AM NOT SCARED OF... EEEEEEEEK!" The now identified Aleta screamed loudly as she held her skirt against her ass, her cheeks sporting a massive blush as she glared towards the darkened forest.

"ECCHI! Sensei no baka! I'm going to kill you!" A loud smack reverberated through the forest, along with Aleta's renewed screams. "Hentai! STOP SPANKING MY ASS!" A loud giggle from Silya caused Aleta to round on her, the furious woman now focusing her anger completely on her giggling partner. Silya cleared her throat, falling silent as she tried to wipe a grin off her face while Aleta turned back towards the dark forest.

"Sensei, stop trying to psych me out! T-this shit wasn't funny d-during training, and it ain't funny n-now! I'm seriously getting p-pissed off here!" The forest fell silent once more, the angry Aleta sighing deeply as she began to calm down. 'I guess he finally got the hint that I wasn't playing around anymore...' But just as the young woman was about to sigh in relief, Aleta's body tensed up as she felt a presence appear form nowhere, a mellow voice whispering a single word in the frightened girl's ear.

"Boo."

* * *

><p>Mira and Maren raced towards the forest surrounding Magnolia, a pouting Elysia trailing after the grinning pair as she struggled to keep up. Mira glanced over at the girl that was keeping pace with her, her gaze studying the beautiful woman that apparently knew Naruto quite well. But before Mira could say a word a shrill scream echoed through the forest, the high pitched sound was then followed by a massive explosion. Both Mira and Maren looked at each other with the same deadpan expression, the pair sighing as they turned back towards the forest.<p>

"Naruto no baka..."

"Yes, he probably scared Aleta-san, that sounds like her _Bakudan mahou_."

The trio raced into the forest, thick smoke billowing out of a clearing. As they entered the destroyed portion of the forest, Maren sighed as she saw a furiously trembling Aleta, as well as a shocked looking Silya standing beside her, her fiery wings having protected her from the explosive magic. Maren crossed her arms under her breasts, tapping her foot lightly as she studied the two women standing before her.

"Now, would someone please explain to me what exactly is happening here?" Before either of the women could answer, a loud squawk of surprise grabbed everyone's attention, the five of them looking towards the forest canopy. A series of loud crashes caused everyone to watch in surprise as Naruto plowed into the ground, the destroyed remains of the trees and branches he had hit falling to the ground around him. Naruto slammed heavily into the ground, his body skidding to a stop at Mira and Maren's feet. Groaning loudly, Naruto massaged his jaw before freezing, his eyes focusing on the decidedly less homicidal form of his girlfriend that was now standing over him.

"Hey, babe. Hehehe... I see you've met the rest of the girls." Mira shook her head in exasperation when a second body landed on the ground in a crouch, this one a beautiful woman with jet black hair. The woman stood up swiftly before approaching the group. Naruto stood up, the blonde cracking his neck as he glared at the grinning woman that approached him. "Of all the sneaky, underhanded, completely diabolical plans designed to take me down... that was brilliant! Laeta, good job!"

The sound of snapping branches caught everyone's attention as they watched a panting Candra burst out of the woods, her uniform covered in dirt and small tears. "Dammit, Laeta! I missed it, why didn't you tell me that you sensed Sensei before you took off?" Laeta grinned as she waggled her fingers at the visibly annoyed woman, a gesture that caused Mira to look at the back haired woman suspiciously.

Mira's eyes narrowed as she watched the approaching jet haired woman grab Naruto in a seemingly friendly hug, a grin splitting her face as Naruto ruffled her hair in a friendly manner before she waggled her fingers at him, a gesture that caused Naruto to laugh aloud once more. Naruto grinned widely as he slung his arm around Laeta's shoulders, but his good cheer soon switched to a nervousness as Mira walked towards the pair, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Naruto... I think you have some explaining to do."

Magnolia – Fairy Tail Guild Hall

"Alright, Master Makarov, lets go over this once more from the top." Makarov sighed loudly, the old man taking a deep breath as he struggled to contain his temper. 'After all, the Rune Knights are just trying to do their job. But they really shouldn't act as if they are enjoying this so much...'

Just as Makarov was about to begin repeating the what had occurred during the short guild war, again, the tent flap opened up and a bound Naruto was tossed to the ground. Makarov stared intently at the bound form of one of the strongest members of Fairy Tail for several moments, when the Wizard Saint suddenly slapped the back of Naruto's head.

"OW, JIJI!"

"Damn you, Naruto, when you ran off Cana started a betting pool and you just cost me ten thousand jewels! You were supposed to stay hidden until tomorrow!" Makraov walked over to the bound shinobi, grabbed the blonde by his jacket and began to shake him in mock anger. Moments later, Makarov's hands dropped the blonde to the ground as he watched Zeta squad entered the tent, saluting the Captain while standing at attention.

"Ah! Good job everyone, was it a difficult chase?" Makarov watched several of the beautiful woman's expressions shift towards annoyed, the wizard saint shaking his head as he studied the pouting blonde at his feet.

"Alright Master Makarov, you can go, I'll send for the next person that I need to interview when I'm done with Naruto-san here. Zeta squad, if you'd do me the favour of keeping Mirajane-san company until I need speak with her?" As the dismissed mages left the tent, the Captain looked down at the bound shinobi, his stern expression causing Naruto to childishly stick out his tongue. Moments later Naruto looked over at the Captain, grinning as the ropes parted, allowing him to stand.

"Conner Boreas, you old dog, sending my girls after me? That's so unfair!" Naruto grinned as he pulled Conner into a backslapping hug, the two mages grinning as they sat down.

"Well, I didn't want to chase after you myself, so I had to send people that knew you and your tricks. Tell me, how did they do?"

Naruto sighed as he stretched his legs out before him, his eyes closed as he mentally reviewed the chase. "Well, I'd say that the girls are better than the majority of the squads that are currently operational. Meaning that if the council tries to shut them down I'll be pissed off, and when I get pissed off I express my displeasure in wild and inventive ways. I don't need to remind you about the jock strap incident, do I Conner?" Naruto grinned as Conner shuddered, the Captain reaching for a bottle that was resting on the table beside the pair.

"Oh God no, I'm begging you to never ever mention that incident again for the rest of my life!"

* * *

><p>Mira's eyes flicked back and forth between the six women that were seated with her at one of the many outdoor cafes that Magnolia had. The white haired woman took a sip of a tea that she had ordered, watching the women as they communicated amongst themselves. Finally deciding to break the ice, Mira placed her teacup on the provided saucer and leaned towards Maren.<p>

"Alright, so now that you've captured Naruto, I think it's time for you to all tell me how you know him." Maren nodded slowly as she leaned back in her chair, her gaze passing over the members of her team.

"Very well. To put it bluntly, we we're all failures for one reason or another. I was Captain of a squad of mages that were killed by a dark guild, my reputation and my confidence were destroyed when I was the only one to return from the mission. Candra's emotions are like her hair, red hot and explosive, her issues with discipline would see her kicked out of the Rune Knights in many circumstances. Aleta was scared of her own shadow, her fear causing her to fire off her magic at the most inopportune times, usually near her teammates. Silya couldn't touch anyone due to her magic, alienating her from any squad she was part of and causing her to sink into depression. Laeta... Laeta's a mute, and as such was treated as someone that was to be pitied for most of her life. And Elysia..." As her name was spoken, the shortest member of Zeta squad slammed her hands on the table.

"Elysia can speak for herself. Elysia was partnered with her oniichan, but during a mission... oniichan..." Tears fell from the young girls eyes and Mira looked towards Maren, the blonde haired girl nodding slowly.

"Each and everyone of us were facing expulsion from the Rune knights for our problems. That is until Naruto heard about it..."

Flashback

"Seriously? What the hell is wrong with you all, where I come from these people would be helped, not shunned for who they are and what they've been through!" A visibly angry Naruto faced the impassive council members, their gazes not betraying any emotion as they listened to the blonde ranting at them. Org coughed into his closed fight lightly, the second seat of the magic council steepled his fingers while he studied the angry blonde standing before him.

"Uzumaki Naruto, S-Class mage of Fairy Tail, I fail to see how this is any concern of yours... or how you even heard about this situation in the first place."

Naruto growled as he gestured at the limp guards resting on the floor of the chamber behind him. "Blame your oh so elite guards, they were laughing about how useless these girls were. I ain't gonna stand around and listen to that crap."

Org closed his eyes as he nodded slowly. "I see, so you will not stand for this?"

"That's right!"

"Very well, you are appointed as their trainer then for the next three months. If they do not meet our standards within that time frame then they will be expelled from the ranks of the Magic council." Org stood on his feet and exited the chambers, the remaining members of the council following the man.

"Nani?"

* * *

><p>Mira giggled loudly as she set her teacup down once more, her eyes focusing on Maren as she finished explaining how Naruto had been roped into training the group.<p>

"So that's why the council requested him for a three month mission, he was supposed to deliver a package to Era and head right back."

Maren nodded as she took a bite of a cake that the waitress had delivered, smiling at the delicious dessert. "Yes, that is it exactly. Now, needless to say there were some... problems initially."

* * *

><p>"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU! I'M GONNA..."<p>

"Cool off." Naruto grinned as he launched a small orb of water at the screaming redhead, the outspoken woman screaming as the ice cold orb soaked her to the bone.

"Now, would anyone else like to try and do something to me? No? Good, cause I'm Uzumaki Naruto, your new trainer. I'm turning this group into the best damn squad of Rune Knights that the council has ever seen!" Naruto pumped his fist in the air,his expression gleeful as he looked at the women he was going to train. But several minutes passed in silence, none of the girls responding to the declaration. Naruto dropped his fist and sighed, adjusting his forehead protector as he frowned. "This may be tougher than I thought..."

* * *

><p>Mira nodded sagely as she placed her empty cup on the table, smiling at the woman before her in understanding.<p>

"He ran you ragged, didn't he?" Aleta groaned as she rested her forehead on the table, remembering the training and exercises that she had been exposed to.

"Yes! That man is a freaking machine! Doesn't he ever slow down?" Mira giggled as she shook her head, causing all of the women before her to groan loudly. Maren cleared her throat as she leaned forward once more.

"Yes, he trained us physically, but he also helped us with our problems. He began to study Silya's magic so that he could help her control it, turning it from a uncontrollable force of destruction to her greatest defense. He created a seal for us all to understand Laeta's hand signs, bringing her out of her shell. Aleta was forced to face her fears and has made huge strides to overcome them, while Candra has discovered that while it is important to tackle life head on, she now tempers her zeal with patience. Elysia... she gained a new brother figure, one that would do his best to help her with anything and everything he could."

Mira smiled at Maren as she cocked her head to the side. "And you, Maren-san? What did Naruto-kun do for you?"

Maren smiled wistfully, looking into the clear sky above as she took a deep breath. "Naruto-san taught me to let the past go. To never forget what had happened, but also how to not get lost in it. All of us have learned so much from him and as such, we'll do anything for him. We not only came here because Fairy Tail had been attacked, but because we would have the chance to meet you."

Candra grinned as she rested her forearms on the table, leaning on them and staring directly at Mira. "After all, we need to make sure that you're good enough for that blonde goofball. And if not, we'd 'persuade' you to look elsewhere."

Mira's gaze narrowed as she studied the women before her, wisps of dark energy floating around her. "Ohhhh? And do I pass your tests, Candra-san?"

All the Rune Knights at the table laughed loudly, an action that caused Mira to giggle once more. A nodding Candra was the first to stop, a smirk gracing her lips as she focused on Mira once more. "Oh yes, you can keep the little troublemaker in line when we're not around. Now, tell us some embarrassing stories about Naruto-sensei!"

Back with Naruto

Naruto placed a hand over his heart, his breath escaping in short gasps. Conner rose to his feet, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder in concern. "Naruto, what's wrong?"

Conner watched as Naruto winced, his expression pained as he looked out towards the town. "I sense... a shift in the natural order of things. This is bad, very bad. Why did you send Mira-chan with them?"

Several days later

"So the council is letting this slide?" Naruto nodded as he helped stock the recently restored bar, the shinobi not allowing Mira to do any work that he considered strenuous until her injuries had fully healed. The sounds of construction surrounded the pair as the guild members began the reconstruction of their guild hall, an endeavour that was aided by the assistance of Naruto's shadow clones.

"Yep, they trust my judgement in this matter." Naruto stocked the shelves in silence for several moments when he felt a pair of arms wrapping around his waist, a smile appearing on his lips as Mira held him tightly.

"What did you do Naruto?" Naruto froze for a moment, the blonde glancing over his shoulder in Mira's hands caressed his chest gently.

"Nothing..." Mira arched an eyebrow at her boyfriend, causing the man to sigh in defeat as his head drooped.

"If they tried to do anything to us I'd ruin the lot of them with information that I've gathered on them over the years."

"Nani? Blackmail?" Naruto looked over at the bar, seeing a recently arrived Erza scowling at the shinobi as he turned around, his arms wrapping around Mira's curvy frame.

"I prefer to think of it as... levelling the playing field." Erza cocked an eyebrow as she shook her head.

"How long have you been spying on the council members?"

"Ever since I got here, I mean that's just common sense that you spy on anyone that you have contact with, isn't it?" A vein popped up on Erza's forehead, the redhead standing up as she glared pointedly at the blonde before her.

"NO! Who spies on anyone they meet?"

"Seriously? I spy on everyone in the guild, speaking of which you really need to find a better place to hide your... 'stories', Erza, you leave them in the most obvious places." Erza screamed loudly, the redhead running out of the partially rebuilt hall. Naruto grinned as Mira flicked his nose, a pout forming as she narrowed her eyes.

"Naruto, do you actually spy on everyone in the guild?"

Naruto grinned as he shook his head. "Of course not, I just wanted to mess with Erza, her reactions are cute."

"Naruto, you're such a bad boy..." Naruto laughed loudly as he leaned in, silencing the grinning woman with a kiss that curled her toes. Meanwhile, Naruto's fellow Fairy Tail members watched the unfolding drama before them with varying reactions.

"Lucky bastard..."

"No, now I have no chance!"

"Hey, I won the bet, pay up Cana!"

Naruto pulled back as Mira exploded into a fit of giggles, the pair watching as Cana tried to run away from the members that wanted to collect their winnings in regards to Naruto's and Mira's love life. Naruto rested his forehead against Mira's, his eyes closing as he breathed in deeply.

"You know, I think it's time I take you on a vacation. All you do is work, we need to go have some fun for a while." Mira hummed happily as she thought about visiting an exotic location, just her and Naruto.

"That... sounds amazing. You, me, nothing to distract us. Think we can actually do that someday?"

Naruto chuckled as he kissed Mira's lips softly before he replied. "Someday? Try today, I sent a bunch of clones back to our house to pack. You and I are going away for a few weeks, we both deserve a break." Mira squealed in joy, her arms pulling Naruto into her chest and squeezed him tightly. Mira blushed as she felt her breasts vibrate slightly, the young woman releasing the blonde that had been trying to talk.

"If that's how you thank me for stuff, I should do something like this everyday." Mira giggled as she kissed Naruto quickly, the young woman running out from behind the bar so she could let the other waitresses know that she was going to be gone for a few weeks. Naruto leaned against the bar, a grinning Makarov at his side as he watched Mira excitedly flitting around the half built building.

"So, you two are heading off for some fun in the sun?" Naruto nodded absently as he continued to watch Mira, when a pair of tickets were thrust in his face. Naruto blinked slowly as he took the proffered tickets, a grin forming as he looked at the smiling Guild Master. "Well, it just so happens that I had these Akane Resort tickets lying around, I think it'd do you two a world of good to head down there and have some fun. We can survive without you two for a few weeks, now scat!" Naruto tapped the tickets that he had received on the bar, nodding gratefully at Makarov as he walked towards Mira. Makarov watched the pair with a grin as Naruto showed Mira the tickets, a squeal of joy escaping the white haired woman's lips as she hugged Naruto tightly. Makarov watched as Mira released her boyfriend and ran towards the bar, the barmaid giving the old master a peck on her cheek before she hugged him tightly.

"Thank you master!" Makarov chuckled as he went to hug Mira as well, but his old habits flared up at that moment as he placed a hand on Mira's firm ass cheek, causing the young woman to squeal as she jumped away from the old man. Makarov cackled loudly, that is until a passing clone clocked him in the head, forcing the old man to drop his beer.

"NO, MY BEER!"

"You deserve it Jiji, touching Mira like that... only I get to touch her like that."


	9. Chapter 8

Here we go, some more Naruto/Fairy Tail goodness to enjoy! Lemme know how I'm doing with a review, it's what keeps a writer going! And to those that have reviewed already, thank you for your support and kind words!

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><p>The soothing sounds of the beach were almost hypnotic, the cawing seagulls that flew overhead breaking through the continuous crash of the waves that lapped up against the white sand of the pristine beach. Near the edge of the ribbon of sand a large lounger had been setup, it's sole occupant sighing deeply as she soaked in the delicious warmth of the sun, the heavenly body resting directly above the tanned beauty. The woman grinned cutely as she stretched her arms over her head, the action arching her back and pulling a self satisfied groan from the bikini clad woman.<p>

"Hey pretty lady, are you all alone out here?" Even though her eyes were hidden by a pair of stylish sunglasses, the man that had just spoken could almost see the teasing look that the beautiful creature before him was throwing his way.

"Oh no, I'm here with my boyfriend. He said that he'd go and get us some more drinks, but he's been gone for such a long time. I'm starting to get lonely." The young man smirked at the pouting woman, his hand holding up a full tray of drinks. An identical smirk appearing on the ivory haired woman as she sat up in her chair, her hands clapping together excitedly in anticipation.

"Well, I just happen to have some extra, that is if you wouldn't mind sharing with a stranger?" Smiling happily, the young woman shifted over in her chair, patting the free space, a blatant invitation to join her on the large lounger. Placing his tray of drinks on the table, the young man lowered himself into the massive chair, a relaxed sigh escaping his lips as he looked towards the chair's other occupant. The young woman leaned over the tanned young man, her arm stretching over his broad chest as she grabbed one of the offered drinks, pulling it back towards herself as she sipping daintily on the cold beverage.

"Mmmm, just what I like. That silly boy, taking so long that he was replaced by a complete stranger... well, I think you deserve a reward for knowing which drink I'd like the most." The young man grinned widely as his arms wrapping around the woman's waist, pulling the smiling woman into his lap. The woman smiled sultrily as she placed her drink on the table once more, her hands resting on the young man's shoulders as she stared into his sky blue eyes.

As the pair continued to look at each other, Naruto's lips twitched as he tried to hold in his laughter. But moments later his mirthful laughter exploded from him, an action that set Mira off, her giggles causing a warm feeling to settle in Naruto's stomach. Mira leaned in, her lips locking with Naruto's as the pair kissed each other hungrily. Several minutes later, Mira pulled back, a content moan passing her lips as she rested against her lover's chest.

"Hmmm, do you use this routine with a lot of guys?" Mira squawked in indignation, the fiery barmaid slapping Naruto's chest playfully as the shinobi tried to fend off her attacks.

"Bastard!" Naruto chuckled as he pulled the playfully struggling Mira closer, his lips working their way across her neck while his hands rested on her . Mira stopped struggling as she felt the featherlight touches on her skin, her hips soon grinding against her lover as she felt herself heating up. "Mmmm, you always did know how to make me forget I was annoyed with you. Jerk, I can't even get mad at you like a normal girlfriend, that's so no fair." Sliding off of Naruto, Mira rested her head on the shinobi's chest, a content sigh passing her lips as she held onto Naruto.

"Blame Baa-chan, she's the one that wanted me to learn how to seduce women just in case it ever came up during a mission."

Mira moaned softly as she kissed Naruto once more, her hands wrapping around the content shinobi's neck. "Oh, I plan to, if I ever get to meet her that is."

Naruto grinned as he kissed Mira's nose softly, an action that caused Mira to giggle once more. "So, when do you want to head back to Fairy Tail? Knowing those crazy nuts, they've probably destroyed the new building and reduced Master to a blubbering shell of a man. Again." Mira's giggles were renewed as she pictured the scene that Naruto had described, the young take over mage halfheartedly agreeing that it was possible.

"Oh stop, their not that bad. I want one more week, this has been the best vacation I've ever had, I want to spend some more time alone with just you and ..."

"OI! NARUTO!" Mira froze, her happy expression quickly fading as she pushed herself off of Naruto, a look of denial slowly crossing her features as she shook her head. Looking towards the beach, Mira saw a sight that she hoped was a mirage, but as the figure approached the couple her hopes were dashed.

"No..."

"Geez, flame brain, give it a rest! Can't you see they're busy?"

"NO..."

"Natsu, Gray, are you two fighting AGAIN?"

"NO!" Naruto sighed as he watched a scantily clad Erza cross her arms under her impressive bust, the young woman sending a disapproving glare towards the sweating Gray and Natsu. An embarrassed Lucy stood to the side of the group, her hand waving at the couple before her while Happy hovered over her shoulder. Shaking his head slowly, Naruto sat up and kissed Mira's cheek before hugging her once more.

"Well, looks like the vacation's over."

Chapter 8

Mira pouted cutely as she watched Naruto wrestling with an enthusiastic Natsu, an intently staring Gray waiting on the sidelines for his turn with the shinobi. Sighing loudly, Mira laid back against the lounger once more and closed her eyes, wishing that everyone would just leave her and Naruto alone for once. 'We barely get any time alone, this was supposed to be a vacation for just us...'

Mira's train of though was derailed as she felt another body join her on the large lounger, her eyes shifting over and staring at an apologetic looking Erza. "Mira... I'm sorry we interrupted you and Naruto. After today I'll let the boys know to leave the two of you alone." Mira sighed as she continued to watch the match before her, a giggle escaping her lips as she watched Gray jump in, the ice mage apparently tired of watching Natsu lose. Both boys decided to actually work together for once, but even then it was an intense mock fight between the boys and Naruto.

"No, it's ok. I was just getting used to having Naruto all to myself. We're glad to see you all, we were wondering what was happening back home actually." Mira grinned as she watched Naruto fall under the combined attack of Natsu and Gray, only to see the shinobi disappear in a burst of smoke.

Erza nodded slowly as she watched a two sets of hands burst out of the sand under Natsu and Gray, the boys squawking in shock as the hands grabbed them and pulled them under the sand. Lucy laughed loudly, pointing at the two buried boys as tears rolled down her cheeks. "How about we catch up tonight? We were planning on hitting the casino tonight, you and Naruto should join us."

Mira giggled nervously, a bead of sweat appearing as she scratched her cheek. "Umm, well... Naruto isn't allowed in the casino anymore. The first night we arrived he heard about it and well... he cleaned them out, hehehehe..."

Erza giggled softly as she shook her head at the pleased looking Naruto, the shinobi dumping buckets of sandy water on the still buried Natsu and Gray , the shinobi laughing like a loon the entire time. "Same old Naruto. We can go and do something else, if you still want to that is."

Mira took another sip of her drink, the ivory haired woman considering the offer. A mischievous expression on Mira's face caused Erza to giggle softly, the ivory haired woman placing her drink on the side table. "You know what, I'll go with you to the casino. I think it's time for us girls to have a little time to ourselves, both of us and Lucy can make a night of it. I think I can find something to keep the big lug occupied for a few hours. Maybe I can get him to take a nap or something, he's been going full throttle for a while now, he really does need to rest more often." As Erza began to outline her groups agenda for the evening, Mira looked over at her laughing boyfriend as an idea came to her on how to keep him occupied for a few hours. Erza was completely oblivious to the hungry look that crossed Mira's features, the beautiful woman licking her lips in anticipation.

Several hours later

Mira smirked as she studied the sweat soaked man below her, the now sated bar maid leaning forward as she kissed her lover's cheek softly. "Hmmm, I think you should take a nap for a few hours while I go visit with Erza and the others. Then we can pick up where we left off, ne?" Naruto laughed softly, a affirmative grunt his only answer as he stretched out in the massive bed. Mira rose from her lover's side, the naked beauty slowly making her way towards their bathroom. A large smile stretching over the relaxed Naruto's lips at the sight of Mira's ass before sleep over took him.

A half an hour, Mira exited the bathroom, her body encased in a stylish black dress that clung to her like a second skin. Leaning over the sleeping shinobi, Mira kissed his lips gently, a soft murmur from the man that she loved causing Mira to grin gently as she pulled the blanket up over his chest. "See you soon babe, I love you."

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><p>Naruto yawned loudly as he sat up, his hand rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. A series of high pitched screams reached his sensitive ears, the cries of panic followed by a muffled explosion that shook the room the shinobi was occupying. Sighing loudly, Naruto swiftly rose from his bed, grabbing his pants while swearing softly. Growling as another explosion rocked the building. Naruto hurriedly dressed, the shinobi's expression souring as he made his way towards the door.<p>

"Natsu, don't blow up the resort! I wanna bring Mira back here some day." Naruto raced down the corridor, the swift shinobi reaching the main stair case quickly. Leaping over the edge, Naruto bounced down the ornate structure, the various patrons that were milling around the lobby watching the acrobatic feats in awe. Once Naruto reached the basement, he sauntered into the now destroyed establishment, a grin crossing his features at the memories of cleaning the place out just two weeks ago. Naruto's happy expression soon shifted to caution once he passed the roulette tables, an unconscious Natsu laying prone on the floor as smoke rose sluggishly from his mouth. Naruto glanced over at the destroyed bar, Gray's still form causing the shinobi's gaze to narrow at the sight.

Naruto crouched before Gray, his head cocking to the side as he tapped the still man's nose. A series of loud cracks echoed through the destroyed casino, Gray's body falling to pieces. The now revealed ice causing Naruto to smirk as it swiftly evaporated. 'Ice bushin... not bad.' Looking to his right, Naruto cocked his head as he saw a very familiar woman pushing herself off of the ground.

"Well hello, little Phantom." Naruto smiled widely as the blue haired woman froze, her gaze rising up and locking onto the shinobi before her. Naruto put on his most charming smile, an action that caused the young girl to blush faintly. "Can you tell me where Gray is? His chakra signature is here, but it's... muffled, somehow."

"Yes, Gray-sama is in Juvia." Naruto blinked slowly, the shinobi coughing softly as he replayed the young woman's words once more.

"I'm sorry, I think that I misheard what you just said, did you say he's inside of you?" At Juvia's solemn nod, Naruto looked at the young woman in confusion. But before he could open his mouth, Naruto watched in surprise as Gray fell out of Juvia's body, water streaming around him as the ice mage coughed weakly. "Ah, in your body, now I get it. It sounded a lot dirtier than it actually turned out to be..."

A loud scream caught Naruto's attention, the shinobi swearing softly as he rose to his feet quickly. "Shit, that's Lucy! Gray, go help Natsu! And don't argue with me about helping flame brain, this is no time for your little school yard bullshit, move!" Naruto grinned as he watched Gray hurriedly scramble to his feet, a look of fear crossing his features at the stern voice the shinobi had used.

Rising to his feet, Naruto raced towards Lucy's chakra signature, the shinobi growling at the sealed doors barring his way. Naruto gathered wind chakra around his fist, a grin forming as he decided to test out a new technique he had been working on. "FUTON: KAZEKEN (Gale Fist)!" Throwing his fist forward, a powerful tornado destroyed the wooden barriers before him, reducing the ornate doors to splinters as they crashed violently against the far wall. Racing through the destroyed doorway, Naruto's gaze narrowed as he was a bound Lucy screaming in obvious pain, the young woman surrounded by... "Playing cards?"

Shaking his head rapidly, Naruto raced forward and cut the thick cord binding Lucy, the blonde crying out in relief as she looked at her rescuer. "Naruto! They took them, they took Erza and Mira!"

Naruto nodded slowly as he stood, stretching out his arms as he closed his eyes. Lucy hung her head shamefully, embarrassed that she hadn't been able to aid her comrades when they had needed her the most. "Did they say why they they took them?"

Lucy bit her lip as she looked fearfully at the strangely calm shinobi. "Well, not really..."

Flashback

Erza gritted her teeth in frustration, her heart hammering against her chest almost painfully as she watched her former comrades threatening Mira and Lucy. "Stop it! It's me you want, they have nothing to do with this, let Lucy and Mira go!"

Mira smirked evilly at the mages standing before her, the angular gun aimed at the ivory haired woman's forehead not even giving her pause as she decided the inform the group of the amount of trouble they'd just inherited. "Relax Erza, it's alright. After all, I have been in worse situations. But I hope they realize that they're about to kidnap a member of Fairy Tail. Most people usually think twice before doing something so stupid, especially when Kage is in the area." Mira giggled internally as she saw fearful looks appear on each mage's face at the mention of the Fairy Tail Co-Ace. Deciding to take their fear to the next level, Mira nodded sagely as crossed her arms under her breasts. "Yep, good ol'Kage... didn't he dump the last person that tried to kidnap someone in the middle of the ocean? Left them with a small dinghy, a map and a single canteen of water?"

Erza cleared her throat, attracting the attention of her wide-eyed former comrades. "No Mira, that was the time before last. Last time, Kage went and deposited the would be kidnapper atop Mt. Hokabe, with nothing but a map, a thin blanket and an apple." Sweat drops appeared on the kidnapper's foreheads, each of them wondering the same thing as a incredulous Lucy.

_'What kind of monster is he? Kage/Naruto sounds completely insane!'_

Mira slammed her dainty fist in her open palm, a look of recognition crossing her features. "Oh yeah! That guy, he was really stupid! He actually tried to kidnap Levi, poor, idiotic, fool... did he ever make it off the mountain?"

Before Erza could respond, an explosion cut off the conversing women, their gazes rising towards Simon. "Enough, no matter who stands in our way, none can stand against Jellal. We'll take both of these women with us, just in case Kage does show up. Leave the blonde here, she'll be a message to their friends." Mira smiled beautifully as she waved at the bound Lucy.

"Sorry Lucy, tell Kage when you see him that they got me and I'm waiting patiently to be rescued!" Lucy let out a nervous laugh at the nonchalant attitude Mira was exhibiting before the cord that bound her tightened again, causing the girl to squeal in pain. Moments later a magic seal appeared , the six mages vanishing in a flash of light.

End Flashback

Naruto laughed loudly, the shinobi clutching at his stomach as an incredulous Lucy watched the spectacle before her. "Oh, that's priceless... damn, I would have given anything to see that. Wow, I must be rubbing off on Mira-chan." Reaching down, Naruto pulled the stunned Celestial Spirit mage to her feet, a roguish grin gracing the shinobi's features.

"S-so... what are we going to do?" A loud roar of anger from the main game room caused Lucy to flinch, but Naruto's grin never left his face as he felt the temperature in the casino rise rapidly.

"Oh, that's simple. I'm going to go find the assholes that kidnapped my girlfriend and make them very, very sorry that they were even born."

Meanwhile, with Erza and Mira

Erza moaned softly, her eyes fluttering as she awoke. Looking around the darkened room that she was was in, the Requip mage growled once she realized that she was tied up once more.

"Relax Erza, everything is fine." Erza's growl stopped as she glanced over her shoulder, the grinning visage of Mira causing the fiery redhead to let out a long suffering sigh.

"You should have kept your mouth shut, Mira. Now your a prisoner as well, one that they'll try and use against Naruto." Mira cocked her head to the side, a questioning expression on her face as she studied the strangely subdued Erza.

"Hmmm, do you have such little faith in your nakama? Or is this about Naruto again?" Erza gritted her teeth tightly as she strained against her bonds.

"This has nothing to do with them! None of you know what it's like to be kept as a slave, to be forced to work till your hands bleed! To barely have enough food to survive, and no matter how much you sleep your always weary! And no matter hot hard you try to please your captors, they beat you at the slightest whim! None of you can understand..." Hot tears trailed down Erza's cheeks as she relived the memories of her childhood, a scene that caused Mira to look down sadly.

"You're right, I can't understand all that you've been through. But I can be your friend, one that will stand by you as we figure out a way out of this mess. After we're back home, ask Naruto about his childhood. Then you'll understand that you're not alone." Erza sniffed loudly, her tear streaked face gazing at the beaming Mira once more. "But for now, we'll have a front row seat when Naruto-kun arrives, that should be fun to watch!" Erza's tears trailed off as she broke into a soft giggle, a reaction that was mirrored by her fellow s-class mage.

"Well, Erza-neesan, you seem to be in high spirits." Erza's giggles trailed off as she watched Shou descending a set of stairs into the darkened room.

"Shou, where are we?" The tanned mage grinned widely as he lit a lamp, illuminating the large room. Mira's eyes narrowed at the sight of the multiple crates and barrels that surrounded the pair of women.

"Why, we're on a ship. We're on our way back to the Tower of Paradise." Erza's face fell once more, a worried Mira gazing at her now silent friend.

"Can you untie me Shou? I won't fight you anymore. I...I just need to put on my armor." Shou tsk'ed loudly as he crouched before the bound redhead, his head shaking slowly.

"No can do Nee-san, you're a traitor. That rope will seal your magical abilities until Jellal has need of you." Mira watched as Erza began to tremble slightly, her head rising until she was looking their captor in his eyes.

"Please Shou, I need my armor... I won't feel secure until I'm wearing it... I'm scared to go back to the tower." Shou sighed as he stood once more, shaking his head.

"Sorry Nee-san, no can do. Besides, you betrayed us before, what's to stop you from doing it again?" As Shou turned towards the stairs once more, Mira cleared her throat loudly, catching the Card Mage's attention.

"I still think you should let us go, the longer you hold us, the angrier Kage will become." Shou grinned maniacally as he shook his head.

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure Jellal will be more than happy to speak with your dear Kage." As Shou climbed the stairs once more, Mira sighed sadly as she shook her head.

"Well, I did warn them, now they have no one to blame but themselves."

Meanwhile

Naruto placed his hands behind his head, the blonde shinobi strolling casually as he studied the moon that hung above him. The young man glanced over at his nakama, raising an eyebrow at Lucy's and Juvia's gobsmacked expressions. "What?"

Lucy gestured frantically at the shinobi that was beside the group, her high pitched voice causing Naruto to wince. "YOU! Y-y-your walk-k-ing on water! HOW?!" Naruto looked down at his feet, then back at his gobsmacked nakama and shrugged.

"I'm just that awesome?" Naruto grinned as Lucy and Juvia both face vaulted, their pitiful groans causing the blonde to snicker. Natsu of course was leaning over the side of the small dinghy that Naruto had... acquired, his face puffing out grotesquely as he desperately tried to keep from spewing his dinner into the sea. Gray was manning the oars, his expression calm and collected as the group followed the shinobi to their final destination.

"And your sure that Erza and the others are in this direction?" Natsu nodded at Gray slowly, a loud moan escaping from the motion sick boy.

"H-happy..." Naruto sighed as he walked towards the dinghy, his hand reaching out as he gently patted Natsu's head.

"Yes Natsu, Happy is there as well, we'll get him back." Naruto's gaze turned back towards the imposing tower, his eyes narrowing as they shifted to a deep crimson. "We'll get them all back."

Meanwhile – Tower of Paradise

Mira tugged at her bound hands once more, the ivory haired girl frowning as she looked at the grinning Shou. "Is this how you treat your guests? Tsk, tsk, your even worse than Naruto used to be, I had to teach that man so much about proper decorum after we started going out..." Shou growled softly at the beautiful woman, a reaction that got a smirk from the Take Over mage. Turning to his right, Shou's mocking grin returned as he watched Erza struggling against her own bonds feebly.

"It's no use Nee-chan, you won't be able to break those... is there something wrong? Are your new 'quarters' making you feel nostalgic?" Erza's gaze narrowed as she growled at the young man that she had once known.

"Never mind that, I can't believe you'd help someone use the Tower! The R-System is an abomination, the dead should stay dead!" Mira cocked her head towards her friend, her interest peaked.

"Ooh, so you do know what the R-system does. I'm impressed, Nee-san." Erza growled as she struggled once more, the cords binding her stretching slightly but still refusing to snap.

"Revive-System – In exchange for one living sacrifice, a single person can be brought back from the dead. A forbidden magic that is an abomination." Shou giggled softly, a crazed look appearing in his eyes before he threw his head back and laughed loudly. Erza glanced over at Mira, her eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she looked back at Shou, the young man's eyes focusing on Erza now that he had finished his bout of hysterical laughter.

"Nee-san, all magic is an abomination! Magic has nothing to do with humanity, the very power we use wears away at what makes us human in the first place!"

Erza shook her head sadly, her eyes filled with pity as she stared at Shou. "Spoken like a member of the Black Mage cult that created this forsaken device. You've become just like them, Shou." Shou spread his arms wide, the young man leaning forward as he leered at Erza.

"Oh? I think you misunderstand, Nee-san. That cult lacked the vision that Jellal has given us, they saw this system as a simple tool. But in our hands, and with Jellal's guidance, we'll bring Paradise to this world! We will revive 'that man', and then we will rule this world and it's people! There is nothing that can be done to stop us now!" Shou began to laugh insanely once again, Erza's angry gaze focusing on the delusional man standing before her. "The remnants of the cult! Your friends and guild members! The ignorant and foolish people that haven't a care in the world! The fools that lord over us in the Council! All of them will suffer as we have! We'll rob them of their freedom as he were robbed of our own! We will be the rulers of the world!" Shou cackled madly, a sound that continued for several moments before a loud snap was heard, the insane man stiffening suddenly as a thin arm wrapped around his neck. Swallowing slowly, Shou looked down and began to breath erratically once he saw a gleaming black kunai resting against his throat.

"You know, Shou," Mira leaned forward, her sweet sounding voice causing the crazed man to sweat as she whispered in his ear. "Naruto wasn't the only one to learn things over the last few years. Erza, go ahead, he's all yours." Shou looked up, the furious expression on Erza's face causing him to shake his head slowly.

"SHOU!" Erza planted her right foot firmly on the floor before sending her left knee rocketing upward, her impressive flexibility allowing the woman to knee Shou in the chin, knocking her former nakama out with a single blow. Mira pulled the kunai away from the man's throat, letting his unconscious body fall to the ground. Running forward, Mira freed Erza quickly, the kunai disappearing in a flash of light after Erza's bonds were cut. Erza watched the weapon vanish, the Requip mage blinking slowly as she tried to figure out what had happened.

"When did you... how...?" Mira grinned cutely as she showed Erza the palm of her hand, a faint seal covering a good portion of it.

"Simple, Naruto wanted to make sure I always had a hold out weapon, just in case we ever got separated. The seal itself does work with my magic, but if it's been blocked off it also has a backup charge of chakra, enough to summon the kunai if needed." Erza shook her head in amazement, silently thanking the blonde for his quick thinking. Erza closed her eyes as her gown began fluttering in an unseen breeze, the garment bursting apart in a shower of light. Moments later Erza was once again clothed in her Heart Kreuz Armor, a sigh of relief passing the redhead's lips.

"And now, we take the fight to them! Lets go, Mira!"

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><p>Naruto's eyes narrowed for a moment, his gaze focusing on the massive tower before him and the others. A grin then appeared, one that caused everyone to look at him expectantly. "Heh, Mira's escaped. It appears that she and Erza are..." Naruto's hand rose, his finger pointing at the middle of the tall tower. "Right about there, and heading up the tower. Now, how am I going to get you four inside?"<p>

Naruto looked over his shoulder, the watery form over their newest friend breaking through the still ocean surface. "Naruto-san? Juvia has found a way to enter the tower, it's an underwater passage that leads directly into the basement." Naruto grinned as he cracked his knuckles in anticipation.

"Awesome. So, here's the plan, you three go with Juvia through the underwater passage and link up with Mira and Erza." Lucy frowned for a moment, her gaze narrowing as she watched the excited blonde that was bouncing before her.

"Wait a minute, what are you going to be doing?" Naruto's feral grin caused Lucy to take a step back, while Natsu and Gray mirrored Naruto's expression.

"I'm the distraction."

Several minutes later

Lucy's head broke the surface of the still water that filled the basement, the Celestial Spirit mage scanning the various walkways above her for movement. After several moments, the young girl hoisted herself up on dry land, her hands reaching up and removing the sphere of water that Juvia had given her. Lucy studied the magical construct that allowing her to breath during the long journey through the secret entrance that Juvia had found, before dropping the sphere and studied the room that she has entered .

Peeling her soaked clothes from her body, Lucy began wringing out the sodden clothes as the others broke the surface, both Natsu and Gray staring wide eyed at Lucy in her skimpy bikini. "Erza, Mira and Happy are somewhere in this tower. Juvia, weren't there any guards in here before?" Lucy looked over at the Water Mage, the quiet girl's intense stare causing the Celestial Spirit mage to sweat lightly.

"Yes, there were a few guards, Juvia wonder's what happened to them." Both Natsu and Gray grinned widely, the normally combative boys sharing a knowing look.

"Don't worry Lucy," Natsu said, his flames roaring to life as he used his magic to dry his clothes. "Knowing Naruto, he's taken care of the guards. We'll head up into the tower, after all Happy and the others are waiting for us!"

Meanwhile, outside

The faint screams of injured men echoed across the island as countless plumes of smoke rose lazily into the night sky. An impassive figure studied the chaos surrounding him, his expression never changing as he strode through the carnage that he had wrought. Piles of defeated men were strewn about the rocky island, their defiant attitudes having quickly crumbled under his intense assault. But all their cries for mercy fell on deaf ears as he defeated them all, even their reinforcements from inside the tower had not been enough to slow the shinobi.

**'Huh, bunch of light weights... I'm kinda disappointed.'** Naruto grunted softly, his eyes continually scanning the area as if he were expecting something, his senses screaming at him that this fight wasn't over.

**'What crawled up your ass and died, you're acting like the Uchiha... oh, oh, I see'em now. Sneaky bastards!'**

Naruto chuckled internally, his body nearly trembling in anticipation of the upcoming battle. If he was right, both of his new opponents were S-class mages, hopefully they could give him a good workout.

'After all, I've got a lot of stress to work off, it's nerve wracking when your girlfriend is kidnapped.' The slightest whisper of wind was Naruto's only warning that the attack had begun, the shinobi deftly sidestepping the thrusting knife aimed at one of his kidneys. Spinning his body around, Naruto's grinning visage locking into the shocked expression of a sharp nosed, blonde haired man. The visor he wore obscured his eyes, but the surprised expression he wore told Naruto all he needed to know. Naruto stepped into the shocked man's guard, his fist racing towards this new foe, but just as Naruto's blow was about to land, his opponent leaped backwards, the shinobi's strike hitting nothing but air. Naruto relaxed as his opponent backed away, his expression clearly communicating disbelief.

"Impossible! I'm the fastest there is, you shouldn't have been able to dodge that! Just who the hell are you?" Naruto smirked at the angry man standing before him, his hand slowly rising as he wagged a finger at the now livid man.

"Now, now, how can you think you're the fastest in the world? I'm the fastest there is, hands down!" Naruto's condescending attitude apparently hit a nerve, the hawk nosed man growling loudly as he raced forward, his dagger flashing out in quick, rapid strikes. Naruto began stepping backwards, his body moving the minimum amount necessary to stay out of the sharp weapons path. The pair raced around the island, their nimble feet sidestepping each and every obstacle in their way, but still the visor wearing man continued to grit his teeth furiously as the battle dragged on.

'Dammit, he's dodging everything I throw at him and STILL managing to navigate this messed up terrain... BACKWARDS! AT FULL SPEED! Shit, I'm gonna have to get 'His' help.' Naruto's eyes narrowed as his opponent began to grin evilly, an obvious sign that he was up to something.

**'Seems like he's gonna swallow his pride and accept his teammates help.'** Naruto grunted internally once more, his senses feeding him information about everything around him as he continued the high speed chase around the island. Several dodges later, a new contact appeared within his sensor ability's range, the new arrival diving towards his unprotected back from above.

"Take this!_ Dokuryū no Tekken!"_ Naruto paused for a moment, his gaze shifting towards the rapidly falling man. Naruto's eyes narrowed at the dark miasma surrounding the newcomer, the name of his attack and clouds surrounding him causing the shinobi to reassess the situation. While Naruto's gaze was focused on the falling man, his other opponent raced forward, a feral grin gracing his features as he took advantage of his target's apparent lack of vigilance. Naruto grunted loudly as the dagger sunk into his body, his hand reaching for the weapon. But it was too late as the falling man landed a powerful blow, the blonde shinobi's body slamming into the ground. Both men stood above the still blonde, the speedster reaching down to pull his weapon from his unmoving body.

"Feh, if that's you at your fastest, then it's a good thing your dead. That was just plain embarrassing."

"Sure it was, if I didn't do it on purpose." Both men paused in surprise, their heads turning towards a large outcropping behind them. Naruto was crouched atop the natural formation, his fox like grin near eclipsing his face as he waved at the pair cheekily. "Both of you aren't that bad, your actually giving me something of a workout. Oh yeah, by the way... _BUSHIN DAIBAKUHA!_" Naruto grinned evilly as both of his opponents were engulfed in his Shadow Clone Explosion, the shinobi snickering softly.

**'Nice, kit'**

'I aim to please.'

Naruto dropped to the ground, the blonde stretching his arms over his head slowly as the smoke from his Explosive clone dissipated, his opponents rising to their feet as they angrily glared at the calm blonde. Naruto noticed that the duo appeared to have been barely damaged by the blast, a grin forming on the shinobi's face. "Well, I can say this, you're both on a completely different level that the rest of those wimpy guards."

The red haired man that had attacked from the sky spat on the ground, his glare focusing on the man before him. "Feh! Comparing us to these losers? They're nothing like us. Oracion Seis is on a completely different level that this pieces of dead weight." Naruto's eyes widened as he whistled in admiration.

"Ooooh, Oracion Seis, huh? Guess I've hit the big leagues now!"

The blonde speedster growled as he tossed the remains of his knife towards the grinning shinobi, his gaze studying the blonde intently as he began to reassess this tricky adversary. "Yes you have, trash. I recognize that symbol, you're from Fairy Tail. Only one member has the combat skills that you've displayed. You're Kage, the Co-Ace of that pathetic group." Naruto spread his arms widely, the shinobi bowing mockingly at the pair of dark mages.

"Very good. From your abilities, I'd have to say that the speed freak there is Racer. And you're attack practically screams, 'I'm a Dragon Slayer!', meaning that you would be Cobra." Both men smirked as they lowered their stances, their eyes focusing their opponent intently.

"Very good." Cobra sneered as a dark miasma wrapped around him once more. "Now that we have the introductions out of the way, lets send you down to hell in style! _Dokuryū Ringa!_"

* * *

><p>And that's all for this round folks! Remember, the more reviews I get, the faster I write! Make a writer happy, review their story! :P<p> 


	10. Chapter 9

Alright all you crazy fanfic fanatics, here's another chapter for you! Any mistakes that were not caught are due to editing this thing at freaking 5 am in the morning, I wanted to get this out to you all rather then release it later tonight. Crazy, I know, but eh, no biggie. Here's hoping you enjoy my mild form of insanity, read, review, comment, something! Lol, enjoy guys.

Magic Council Chambers

Siegrain gritted his teeth in frustration as his watched his fellow councillors bickered pointlessly on how to handle this new crisis, the survival of the Tower of Paradise. Once the news had reached the chambers of the survival of one of the towers, as well as the name of the architect of the entire plot, the entire chamber had descended into madness.

"ENOUGH!" Siegrain stood from his seat, his hands slamming forcefully on top of the table the councillors were seated around. All eyes focused on the angry young man, his body trembling as his gaze focused on each mage seated before him. "Weaklings... all of you are weaklings! Dispatch the army? It's too dangerous, for our men and the situation. There is only one way to destroy the Tower of Paradise!" Siegrain glared at each councillor before he slammed his fist into the table once more, an action that caused several of the older members to jump in surprise. "Satellite Square... Etherion."

Siegrain stood his ground as many councillors turned towards him, their ire focusing on the man that had dared to suggest such a powerful weapon. Siegrain was about to speak once again when Org stood as well, his expression grave as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well then, there's nothing for it. We're going to have to use our most powerful weapon to end this... 'incident'." Placing his hand on the table, Org closed his eyes as a magical seal appeared before him. Moments later, a large communication lacrima appeared in the centre of the table, multiple councillors looking on in surprise at the recent turn of events.

"Org, what are you doing? We do not have time for this, if your agreeing with me then we must go to the control room and prepare to fire Etherion!" Org looked towards Siegrain, his head shaking back and forth slowly as he reached his hand towards the recently arrived lacrima with a faint smirk.

"Siegrain, I never said that we should use Etherion, I said we should use our greatest weapon, which I'm sure you remember is..." Siegrain's eyes widened in surprise, the young man falling back into his seat as he whispered a single word.

"Uzumaki..."

Chapter 9

Racer panted heavily, the speedster hiding behind a boulder as he tried to catch his breath. The ground heaved mightily amidst a series of explosions, the tired mage throwing his arms over his head as pieces of rock and earth rained down on him. "He's no mage, Uzumaki is a freaking monster... dammit Brain, this is all your fault! I never should have agreed to the 'favour' you wanted to give Jellal!" Looking over the top of the boulder, Racer watched as Cobra dodged the various blades and elemental attacks that Uzumaki was throwing at him, the grimace on the Dragon Slayer's face showing just how desperate the situation was. 'Even with my Slowing magic we're barely staying ahead of Uzumaki! Not even Cobra's Sound magic is helping us against this guy!'

Flashback

Naruto dodged to the side, multiple scales formed from Poison magic sailing harmlessly past the shinobi. But just as he was about to rush towards the pair, Cobra intercepted the blonde, his poison drenched hand reaching for the blonde's neck. Naruto's eyes widened as the Dragon Slayer continued to press his attack, somehow managing to foresee every move that the shinobi was making. 'The hell? Is he reading my mind, or is he just that good?' Naruto's eyes narrowed as Racer tried to get the drop on the shinobi while he was distracted by Cobra, another knife appearing in his hand as the speedy mage looked for an opening. Naruto sidestepped Racer's clumsy thrusts, his hand grasping the dark mage's wrist in a firm lock. Naruto grinned mentally as he applied pressure to the joint, fully intending to break the man's wrist, when Cobra sent a wave of poison towards the shinobi, forcing him to leap away from Racer. 'Dammit, , he did it again, as if he knew what I was gonna do!'

**'I dunno, kit. I mean you have seen some pretty strange mind shit before, remember the Yamanakas?'**

Naruto watched in surprise as Cobra's eyes widened in shock, the maroon haired man staring intently at the shinobi. "Who was that? What the hell is inside of you!?"

'Shit, he CAN hear us! Quick, you know what to do!' Naruto grinned as Kurama began to chuckle malevolently, the the ominous sound causing Cobra to step back in fear.

"What the hell are you planning on ... AHHHH!" Naruto grinned for a moment as he watched Cobra clutching at his ears, the blonde disappeared from sight before appearing before Cobra. Naruto smirked as he he grabbed the back of Cobra's head, pulling the man towards him as he slammed his knee into the mage's stomach. Cobra gasped for air as Naruto release him, the dragon slayer gasping as he tried to back away from the grinning blonde. "That... horrible voice... how can you stand to listen to that atrocious... Kami, I cringe at the fact that I have to call that singing! And they call us evil, you evil, sadistic, bastard!"

**'THIS IS THE SONG THAT DOESN'T END! YES, IT GOES ON AND ON MY FRIEND! SOME PEOPLE STARTED SINGING IT NOT KNOWING WHAT IT WAS, AND THEY'LL CONTINUE SINGING IT FOREVER JUST BECAUSE THIS IS THE SONG THAT DOESN'T END...' **Naruto forced himself not to break out into uncontrollable laughter at the completely tone deaf voice of his partner belting out the song he had chosen, his gravelly voice butchering each note as he continued to... 'sing'.

'"Simple, when you've ignored the same voice for over ten years of your life, it's not so hard to block it out! Now, how about we increase the number of people you can listen to, _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu._"

Cobra's eyes widened in fear as a horde of Naruto's appeared, the Dark mage clamping his hands over his ears as the blonde grinned at him. "Now, how about we get back to the fight?"

End flashback

'Didn't take long for Cobra to stop using his Sound Magic after that.' Racer watched as a wide wave of poison forced the Fairy tail mage to retreat, his insane speed allowing him to slip away from the attack. Standing on his feet, Racer rejoined Cobra as they studied the confident looking man before them.

"Oh come on, that didn't work before, what makes you think..." Racer blinked as Uzumaki's voice trailed off, his gaze focusing on the hem of his coat. Racer and Cobra both followed his gaze, the pair smirking as they watched the garment hiss and bubble as Cobra's corrosive poison ate away at the fabric. Naruto grunted in surprise, the blonde ripping the coat off of his body as the poison quickly spread across the garment rapidly, destroying the garment within moments. "Shit, Mira gave me that! Ok, no more..."

Racer watched as Uzumaki paused once more, this time a look of annoyance crossing his features, the blonde holding out his hand towards his opponents. "Son of a bitch... hang on a minute, I gotta take this call." Racer looked over at Cobra, the Dragon Slayer shrugging in confusion before he raced towards the stationary member of Fairy Tail.

"Tsk, eager bastard, is this a Dragon Slayer thing? _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu._" Racer watched as a dozen clones appeared, the original Uzumaki pressing a finger against his ear, his stance relaxed as he spoke aloud once more. "Talk to me, ossan."

Council Chambers

Org cocked an eyebrow at Naruto's flippant attitude, the various councillors surrounding the man either groaning out loud or shaking their heads in exasperation. "Yes.. well, Naruto-san, we have a very important matter that we need you to look into."

_**'Seriously? You guys could not have picked a... dammit, knock it off you stupid fucking bastard! I already owe you for destroying my coat, Mira's gonna kill me for losing it! Seriously, Org-ossan, this is a really bad time... dammit, DO NOT ACT LIKE I DON'T SEE YOUR SKINNY ASS BACK THERE, RACER! BUSHIN DAIBAKUHA!" **_Org's eyes widened as a loud explosion occurred on Naruto's side of the Lacrima, a pair of pained screams following the sound of the powerful detonation. **_"There, that should hold the stupid bastards for a minute or two... yes, yes, go kick their asses while I take this call... ok, Org-ossan, you got about, what? Two minutes? Yeah, two minutes before they get back up from that, so you better make this quick." _**Org swallowed loudly as he looked at his fellow councillors, the majority of which were staring wide eyed at the communication lacrima.

* * *

><p>Naruto turned away from the squad of clones he had just sicced on Racer and Cobra, the blonde touching the gem placed in his ear as he listened the Org explain the situation.<p>

"Wait, WHAT?! Ah dammit, of all the stupid... shit, this is why you should have let me train the WHOLE, freaking army! This is the shit I was talking about, your fancy weapons and spells are no good against things like kinda shit! So, where is this hell hole I'm gonna have to blow up? Wait, wait, wait... where?" Naruto spun around, his gaze rising towards the sky as he looked at the Tower of Paradise.

* * *

><p>Org cocked an eyebrow as the other councillors shared a look of confusion at Naruto's response.<p>

"_**BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"**_

"Naruto-san... NARUTO-SAN, STOP LAUGHING! This is no laughing matter..."

"_**...already there..."**_ Org's eyes widened as he rose form his seat quickly, a shocked expression appearing on Siegrain's face as he looked at the glowing Lacrima.

"Wait, what did you say?"

* * *

><p>"Hahaha... I'm already there... oh, this is priceless. Well, looks like this is gonna work out in your favour after all. Small problem though, I've run into a pair of... annoyances. Oracion Seis, maybe you've heard of them? Gimme a... wait, what? You wanna fire THAT? OH, HELL NO! I've got other people here on the island with me, if it was just me then sure, I could survive a shot from that! Oh yes I can, don't make me step in front of the blast just to prove you wrong!" Naruto sighed as he watched both Cobra and Racer defeat his final clone, the shinobi's eyes narrowing as he watched the dark mages cautiously approached him. "Ok ossan, gimme some time and I'll see if I can stop this mess. But... dammit, I can't believe I'm actually saying this, keep Etherion primed... just in case." Naruto lowered himself into a ready stance, his gaze hardening as he studied the pair's furious expressions. "So, we done playing yet?"<p>

Meanwhile, inside the Tower...

Natsu growled loudly as his flame coated fist slammed into another guard, the unconscious man falling to the ground in a heap of tangled limbs. Looking over his shoulder, Natsu saw that Lucy, Gray and Juvia had managed to take out the rest of the guards without any trouble. "Feh, talk about lightweights. These guys are way weaker than the newest member of Fairy Tail, and she's the weakest of us all."

Lucy nodded slowly as she studied the groaning men surrounding the group, that is until she remembered that she was the newest member of the guild. "HEY!" Natsu grinned as he flashed a victory sigh at a growling Lucy, the dragon slayer stepping closer as he continued to poke fun at the indignant blonde. Gray sighed loudly, the ice mage turning towards the doorway just as another squad of guards showed up.

"Ok you two, knock it off! We got some more weaklings..." Gray trailed off as several bodies flew through the air, the guards at the rear of the approaching formation screaming out in pain and fear. Moments later Erza slid into the room, her scarlet hair trailing behind her like a comet as she tore through the terrified guards. Gray breathed a sigh of relief as Mira calmly walked into view, a knowing smile on her face as she watched her friend continue 'working'. "Never mind... Erza just took them all out on her own. Good to see some things never change."

Natsu turned away from an angrily pouting Lucy, his arms folding over his chest as he waited for Erza to finish off the last of the guards. Panting lightly, Erza's dismissed her longsword as she looked at her friends. "Wha... what are you all doing here?!"

Natsu narrowed his gaze as he stepped forward, his hand reaching out as he firmly poked Erza's armoured shoulder. "YOU were captured... did you really think we'd leave you behind?" Erza looked at the strangely calm teen before her, the S-class mage turning towards Mira in surprise.

Mira shrugged her shoulders, a giggle passing her lips as she studied the group arrayed before her. "Well Erza, there you have it, your friends and family are worried about you. Now, how about we get out of he... wait a second, where's Naruto?"

Just as Gray was about to open his mouth the Tower of Paradise shook violently, each mage falling to the floor in surprise from the powerful tremor. Several moments passed before the shaking stopped, each mage slowly rising to their feet as they looked at each other.

"Oh, there he is, never mind. Excuse me a moment, I need to talk to my boyfriend." Mira looked around the room, a smile forming once she found a window. Opening it up, Mira looked outside, spotting several flashes of light directly below her. 'That must be Naruto, he always has to use the flashy stuff in a fight.' Taking a deep breath, Mira leaned out the window once more as she voiced her opinion on their current situation. "NARUTO NO BAKA! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING, YOU'RE GONNA DESTROY THE ISLAND!"

Natsu snickered softly as he watched the normally calm Mirajane lay into the shinobi, the shocked expressions of Erza, Gray, Lucy and Juvia causing the Dragon Slayer to laugh even harder. Mira suddenly backed away from the window, a squeak of surprise escaping as she watched Naruto clamber inside the tower. Mira glared at the grinning shinobi for several moments before sighing in defeat, her boyfriend rising to his feet and kissing her gently. "Missed ya, baby." Mira smiled lovingly as Naruto pulled back, the shinobi brushing at his dirt covered clothes until he was satisfied with his appearance. Several explosion echoed through the night air, every eye focusing on Naruto as he laughed aloud. "Stupid bastards don't even know their fighting a clone, it should keep them busy for a while. And as for destroying the island, that was the point. The council said to blow the shit outta this place or else they'd fire Etherion." Erza nodded slowly, a sword reappearing as she started walking towards the stairs.

"That's it, I'm putting a stop to this. I'll handle Jellal, the rest of you get out of here. Especially you, Mira, you're in no condition to fight." Erza stopped as a hand grasped her shoulder firmly, spinning her around until she was face to face with a furious Natsu.

"I am not leaving Happy! Where is that Block bastard?" Erza glared at the Dragon Slayer, trying to force the teen to bow to her whims, but Natsu stood his ground, his glare increasing in intensity as he waited for Erza's answer. Naruto also approached the silent requip mage, a smirk on his lips as he patted Erza's head condescendingly.

"Erza, Erza, Erza... there's only one woman that can order me around, and even she doesn't always get her way."

"Oh really?" Mira glared at Naruto, the shinobi grinning cheekily as he returned to Mira's side. "What if I cut you off for a month when you don't follow my orders?"

"Bullshit, you'll cave within a week. Remember what happened the last time you did that?" Naruto leered at the brightly blushing Mira, the take over mage punching his arm in annoyance at the mention of the 'incident' in question.

"Shut up!" Naruto smirked as he turned towards Erza once more.

"Erza, I don't need to know what happened, just that it was something that hurt you, badly. I can see it in your eyes, you hide it well... but it's easy enough for someone that's been through the same kind of trauma to recognize the signs." Naruto paused as Erza sniffed softly, her hand gently brushing a few tears from her eyes as she stared at Naruto. "If you want to talk about it later, we'll talk. But for now, we have to... oh wow, that is one BIG guy..."

Everyone's eyes turned towards the doorway, Erza's gaze widening as she fell in a ready stance as one of her oldest friends entered the room, his turban covered head lowered as he approached the group. "Simon!"

Gray growled softly, his hands slamming together as his magic seal appeared behind him. But a gentle hand on his arm caused Gray to hesitate, his gaze turning towards a serious looking Juvia.

"Wait, Gray-sama. Juvia doesn't think that he is our enemy. He knew that you had used an ice clone, yet he still attacked it. No self respecting mage would have fallen for such a childish trick," Juvia said, Gray's cheeks reddening in embarrassment as the other members of Fairy Tail snickered softly. "So Juvia came along to confirm this. And to learn this man's true intent."

"Remarkable, I can see why you were one of the Elemental Four. You are correct, I knew it was an Ice Clone, I must thank you for making your death more realistic. After all, I had to find a way to fool my friends into thinking I was serious about harming you all."

"What? You were just trying to trick us?" All eyes turned to the doorway, the card magic mage trembling as he entered the room. "All this time helping Jellal and you throw it away... for HER?"

Simon turned towards Shou, his intent gaze freezing the smaller man in his tracks as he waited for an answer. "Yes, I trust Erza. Always have, always will."

Shou backed away, his head shaking back and forth as he tried to deny Simon's words. "No... no! Jellal, he saved us! It was his warning that got us off that ship before it sank, a ship that ERZA booby trapped! He told us that your magic had driven you mad, that you had abandoned us and everything to do with your old life!"

Lucy stepped towards Shou, her expression grave as she stared at him. "Does that really sound like something that Erza would do?"

"NO! We built this tower for Jellal, because he saved us! We did this for him! Are you saying this is all a lie?"

"Yes." Shou's wide eyed gaze focused on Naruto, the the shinobi's stoic expression forcing him to take a step back. "He lied to you, played you, used you. Because, Erza wasn't the one to go mad," Naruto turned around and walked towards the stairwell, Shou's gaze following the shinobi's every step. "Jellal was." Shou bit his lip as his tears fell, the card mage looking at a smiling Erza as she walked towards her old friend. As the requip mage pulled Shou into a hug, the young man finally broke as he realized that his life was a lie, his loud cries causing Naruto to nod as he ascended the stairs. Mira ran after the shinobi, catching up with him quickly as Simon and the other members of Fairy Tail followed him. After several minutes Erza appeared, a small smile gracing her lips as she join Naruto at the head of the group.

Meanwhile...

Laughter echoed throughout the chamber that sat atop the Tower of Paradise, the hooded man seated on a high backed throne shaking as he let his amusement flow out of him. Another man stood at his feet, his expression worried at the sudden change in his employer's behaviour. "Jellal?"

The shadowed man sighed as his laughter petered out, his elbow resting on the arm of his throne as he rested his fist on his cheek. "Ah, Erza, you've grown into such a fine, young, woman. And this Uzumaki, truly he is a worthy foe. He didn't;t even need to lift a finger to take Shou out of the game. The two of them together form a nearly unstoppable pair... which will make their defeat all the more crushing. We will have to see how the game plays out, will they win? Or will my plans finally come to fruition?"

* * *

><p>Cobra and Racer stared at their foe in surprise, the blonde had steadily become more and more aggressive as he fought before he suddenly stopped, a maniacal expression appearing as he threw his head back and cackled madly. "Not... bad, you two. I'm... whew, getting a workout from this. But I think it's time to stop playing! I'm already dead since you destroyed that coat! I'm taking you two assholes with me!" Naruto slammed his hands into the ground, a complicated array forming around his hands before it surrounded the entire island.<p>

Cobra looked at the glowing ground fearfully, the Dragon Slayer hanging onto Cubellios tightly. "What the... YOU'RE GONNA COMMIT SUICIDE OVER A COAT? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

Naruto smirked as the brightness of his seal intensified, motes of power flaring up around the shinobi as he poured more of his chakra into it. "Simple, fashion is very important to my girlfriend, I have to treasure all the clothes she gives me! Don't worry, it'll be great, WE'LL GO OUT WITH A BANG! AHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" Naruto began to cackle loudly once more, his expression sifting to one of total madness as the glowing seal continued to grow.

"Shit, he's flipped! I didn't sign up for a suicide mission, we need to go, now!" Racer immediately leaped atop Cubellios, a grimacing Cobra signalling his mount to rise into the air. As the two leaders of Oracion Seis quickly rising into the night sky, Naruto's cackling slowly trailed off as the dark mages disappeared into the night sky.

"Suckers..."

In the air

"You're insane if you think that he'd kill his own..." Cobra paused, the sound of a massive detonation drawing his gaze towards the slowly shrinking island. A brilliant flare lit up the night sky, it's brightness nearly blinding the Dragon Slayer as he raised his arm over his eyes. Moments later, the blast's shockwave hit the members of Oracion Seis, Cubellios wildly flipping through the air like a puppet that had it's strings cut, the three of them crashed roughly into the ocean. Racer coughed loudly as he rose to the surface, his gaze focused on the smoking crater that had once been an island. Cobra soon broke through the surface of the water, the mage coughing loudly as he cleared the seawater from his lungs. Both mages stared at the smoking crater that had once been the Tower of Paradise before looking at each other.

"You were saying? We'd better tell Brain about this."

On the island

Naruto's clone snickered as he continued to pump chakra into the seal he had created, the array finally having enough power to make it self-sustaining. Rising to his feet, the clone shook his head as he studied the array once more. "_Fuin: __Genjitsu kuchiku-kan _(Seal: Reality Destroyer)_. _I may suck at using Genjutsu myself, but damn, I sure can craft some intense seals to make up for it. Never mess with a prankster, or else we'll unleash hell on ya! Hehehehehe..." The Naruto clone quickly disappeared in a puff of smoke, his chakra exhausted from the energy requirements of the seal.

Inside the tower

Naruto suddenly began snickering as he ran up the stairs, his friends looking at the manic sounding blonde as he ran up the stairs. Mira giggled as she nudged Erza, the ivory haired woman sharing a wink with her friend. "Enough power to take out a town without breaking a sweat, and he still acts like a little kid." Erza giggled softly as she nodded, her gaze focusing on the still snickering shinobi.

"Don't ever let him go. If you do, I won't be held responsible for what I'll do to make him mine." Mira gave Erza a sidelong glance, a smirk appearing as she continued running.

"It'll never happen, but I can't blame you for how you feel. Hell, if you had gotten to him first I'd feel the same way." At the top of the stairs, Erza and Mira paused for a moment as they studied the bizarre scene before them.

Naruto was intently staring at a wide eyed Milliana, her hands trembling as she reached towards the blonde's whiskered cheeks. Natsu was fighting against Gray's iron grip, the Ice mage holding the fiery young man back as he tried to rush Wally, the polygon mage levelling his gun at the flame spewing dragon slayer. "LEMME AT'EM! I'm gonna barbeque his ass for kidnapping Happy!"

Wally began to back away slowly, his gun sweeping over the people arrayed before him while sweat rolling down his forehead, the mage realizing how badly he and Millianna were outnumbered. "Millliana, we need to... Millianna? Oh no, this is so not dandy." Wally looked over at the cat crazed girl, his head shaking as he watched her succumb to the temptation of stroking Naruto's whiskered cheeks, a hopeful smile appearing on the young girl's face.

"Kitty?"

Naruto looked over his shoulder at Mira, the take over mage shrugging her shoulders at his questioning gaze. Turning back towards Milliana, Naruto raised an eyebrow as he cleared his throat. "Nya?"

"KITTY!" Naruto was bowled over by the enthusiastic Milliana, the shinobi letting out an indignant squawk as he fell to the ground. Mira giggled loudly while everyone else watched in surprise as the shinobi struggled in the cat crazed girls grip.

"GAH! Lemme go! DAMMIT, STOP PULLING ON MY CHEEKS! THOSE ARE ATTACHED!" Wally pointed his gun at Simon, the tall man standing still as he faced off against his old friend.

"Simon, so you've betrayed us, just like Erza. This is not how a man should act, it's not dandy."

"Wally..." Wally's eyes narrowed as he raised his gun, his thumb cocking the weapon as he continued to back away.

"Jellal gave us everything! He saved our lives! Gave us purpose! And you're throwing it away for... for a childhood crush? Erza is still playing you Simon, she always could. We knew it, Erza knew it! There's still time. Join with me and we can stop them, together! Together, we can..." Wally's voice trailed off when he felt a arm drape itself over his shoulder, a sigh echoing in the square man's ear.

"You know, you remind me of someone I knew." Wally swallowed loudly as he turned his head, his gaze filled with the sight of a nostalgic Naruto. Eyes wide, Wally's head spun towards Millianna and the pouting man trapped in her arms. "Oh don't mind him, that's just a clone, they always want to get people's sympathy. Anyways, this guy that I knew... he was strong, devoted and completely without feelings. I hated his guts when I first met him, but after a while he grew on me. We became friends, he even started to show emotions when he was around us. And you know what? That was when he realized what he was doing was wrong. All because he questioned the one that taught him, raised him. The man that had been using him for all of his life. Just like Jellal is using you."

Wally looked at Naruto, his hand shaking as he pointed his gun at the shinobi's forehead. Naruto yawned loudly, his eyebrow cocked as he studied the trembling man. "So, what's it gonna be, Wally? Do you really think that Jellal is doing all of this out of the kindness of his heart? Do you really think Erza would have betrayed the ones that she saw as family?" Wally bit his lip as tears trailed down his cheeks, his body slowly falling to his knees as he dropped his gun. Naruto crouched beside the man, placing his hand on Wally's shoulder as he grinned. "So, do me a favour and get everyone else out of the tower, things are gonna get a little..."

"Dangerous?" Naruto looked over at Erza, a confused expression appearing.

"Well, I was going to say explosive, after all I need to blow shit up or else I get cranky, you know how it is, don't you Natsu?" All eyes focused on the dragon slayer, his arms now crossed over his chest as he nodded sagely.

"That's right, explosive. Very explosive. With screaming, you can't forget the screaming."

"Oh, your right, I forgot about that. The screams always annoy me, especially the shrill ones."

"Naruto, that wouldn't happen if you didn't break their bones when you fight them."

"Oh... good point!"

Erza and Mira both looked at each other, sighing loudly as they shook their heads and spoke as one.

"Boys."

* * *

><p>Jellal studied the game board placed before him, his hand knocking over several pieces before he looked up. "Hmm, it seems I underestimated this Uzumaki. He's managed to turn several of my men against me as well as successfully driving off the extra security I acquired from Oracion Seis. I'm almost worried now, maybe he will be my greatest obstacle to my plans? Vithaldas, I believe it's time for you and your own to greet our... guests."<p>

Vithaldas grinned evilly as magical energy whipped around his body, a scream of joy passing his lips as his body was obscured in smoke. Several moments passed before the smoke dissipated, showing just how much the normal looking Vithaldas had changed. His once pink skin shifted to a pallid, chalk white tone. His lips and eyes were rimmed with dark makeup, the markings giving him a wild, crazed look. Normal robes had been replaced by spiked shoulder guards and bracers, leather pants and greaves over top of leather boots. "YEAH! TIME TO SEND THEM ALL TO HELL! OH YEAH!"

As the transformation finished, Jellal grin grew in size as a pair of new arrivals appeared beside the now transformed Vithaldas. The first of these didn't appear to even be fully human, his head resembling a large brown owl. A pair of large rockets were strapped to his back and the only thing protecting his modesty were a pair of shorts. "Who-who whoo.."

A beautiful, pink haired woman stood beside Vithaldas, her elaborate kimono seemingly out of place next too the extreme clothing that Vithaldas wore. Her hand held a nodachi firmly, a confident smirk gracing her lips as she awaited Jellal's orders. "Perhaps it is the fate of both love and life to to scatter on the wind...tonight shall be a festival."

Jellal nodded happily as he approached the trio before him "Trinity Raven, it's your turn now. Now, to inform our players of the rules."

* * *

><p>Naruto took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to him, the shinobi slipping behind Milliana as he swiftly jabbed a senbon needle into the girl's neck. The cat crazed girl let out a surprised shriek before quickly calming down, the sleeping drugs she had been doped with quickly taking effect. The clone she had been using as a cuddling pillow disappearing in a puff of smoke, but not before he sent a look of gratitude towards his creator. Naruto sighed happily as he brushed his hands clean, the shinobi pausing as he met the incredulous stares of his friends and allies.<p>

"What? DO you really think I wanted her climbing all over me in the middle of a fight? Fuck that, I already got enough problems keeping Natsu under control..."

"HEY!

"I don't need a crazed young girl draping herself over me... wait, that actually doesn't..." Naruto's voice trailed off as his danger sense started going ballistic, the shinobi looking towards his faintly glowing girlfriend. "... sound like anything that I would enjoy, unless it was my amazing, beautiful, loving girlfriend, Mira." Naruto adopted an innocent look, similar to a wide eyed puppy, as he stared at a scowling Mira. Several tense moments passed before the angry woman's resolve cracked, her arms pulling the still pouting Naruto into her arms as she cuddled with him. Gray and Natsu watched the scene, the teens jaws dropping to their chests at the fact that the shinobi had escaped a beating. Naruto gave the pair a shit eating grin before he buried his face in Mira's chest, a move that caused the take over mage to giggle loudly. Both teens glared at the scene, their thoughts strangely in synch regarding the blonde shinobi.

'That rat bastard! It's not fair that he gets out of a beating for saying stupid shit!' Naruto pulled himself out of Mira's cleavage, the barmaid grinning saucily at the blonde as he leaned in for a kiss.

"Good evening everyone and welcome to the Paradise Game." Naruto paused just before his lips met Mira's, his gaze narrowing as he carefully looked towards the walls in annoyance.

"Game? This has to be the shittiest game I've played in a while. How about next time you try something a little less illegal, like shogi." Naruto's gaze narrowed as multiple mouths grew from the walls, surrounding the group.

"If only it were possible, Uzumaki. But unfortunately, we do have a schedule to keep. Now that you have taken out my first line of defence, I've had to active my final three players."

Looking at Simon, Naruto's gaze narrowed as the large man shrugged his shoulders helplessly. 'So, he didn't even trust his 'buddies' with the names of these guys. Which means...'

**'Which means that this is probably gonna suck for us. Tell me again why we can't just blow this place up?'**

"Now, this would be a seven on three battle, since Millianna, Shou and Wally have all been sidelined..."

Naruto grinned once more as he stood tall, his arms crossing over his chest as he faced Mira. "Bah, this'll be easy! Wait... there's eight of us, where the hell did he learn to count?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, a small detail must have slipped my mind. We wouldn't want to make this too easy for all of you, so I have a small 'side quest' for Uzumaki to fulfil."

"SHIT!"

"In three hours, the Magic Council will fire Etherion, decimating this island and all who are on it. After all, they are waiting for word from Uzumaki that the situation has been handled, are they not?" Naruto looked at the walls suspiciously, his hand slowly rising towards his ear as he tapped the lacrima resting inside of it. Erza and Mira's eyes widened as the shinobi screamed loudly, the blonde ripping the gem from his ear and throwing it at the ground.

"MOTHERFUCKER!"

**'Just relax while I regrow your eardrum. Again. Three times over the last six months, that's a new record...' **Mira stepped forward, placing a hand gently on Naruto's forearm as the shinobi continued to swear softly.

"As you've most likely discovered, your fascinating communication lacrima is being jammed, Uzumaki. Now there's no way to reach the council except on foot, but if you don't leave soon you'll never make it." Naruto growled softly as he picked up the lacrima at his feet, pocketing the item.

"That clever bitch. Dammit, I've got to get to the Council... Erza, you ready to lay the smack down on that bastard?"

Erza took a deep breath, her shoulders squaring up as her gaze locked onto Naruto's. "Of course, he's messed with our family, he has to be stopped. Stop Etherion, I'll handle it from here." Naruto nodded resolutely, his hands latching onto Mira's as he pulled her into his arms.

"Hey, I gotta go. I'll be back, ok? Keep those two knuckleheads in line for me, ok? And no heroics, I won't be around to pull you out of the line of fire." Mira smiled warmly as her hand cupped Naruto's cheek gently, the ivory haired woman leaning in close and planting a soft kiss on his lips.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. This is becoming a trend with you, isn't it?" Naruto grinned as his hand rested over the one Mira placed on his cheek, the shinobi squeezing gently before he backed away.

"Hah, you should have seen me when I was younger! I was a real chaos generator, strange shit always happened to me! But, I only used to have a bad ass bark, now I have the bite to back it up!"

Naruto continued to back away from Mira, his eyes never leaving the woman as he neared an open window. Juvia pointed timidly at the unconcerned shinobi as he continued to backup. "Uhh... Naruto-san? Juvia thinks that you should... AHHHH!" Juvia screamed shrilly as Naruto fell out of the window, the water mage rushing towards the window in a panic. Lucy joined the Water mage a moment later, her eyes wide with fear as she watched Naruto plummet towards the ground

"NARUTO!"

"NARUTO-SAN!"

Naruto rotated in the air, grinning like a loon just before he hit the ground, his body spinning around rapidly as his feet slammed heavily into the rocky terrain. The tower shook gently, the two worried girls watching in fascination as the blonde casually strolled out of the shallow crater his fall had produced before making his way towards the shore. Both girls turned around, their incredulous expressions setting off a round of giggles from Mira as she shook her head in exasperation.

"That boy... you two are going to have to learn, never underestimate that man and the insane things he will do. Now, we better get a move on! Natsu, go find Happy, then join up with us so we can take on these 'Three players'. Wally, you get Shou and Milliana out of the tower, we'll take it from here! Now move out!"

* * *

><p>Hope you enjoyed it, till next time!<p> 


	11. Chapter 10

Hey everyone, I'm alive! Well, it's not like I was missing for that long, but it has been a while since I updated this story. Damned muse took a holiday, that or I was preoccupied with real life crap. Anyways, here we go, enjoy the chapter, review! It is your destiny!

* * *

><p><span>T-Minus 90 minutes<span>

Miles and miles of water surrounded Naruto as he speedily planed across the ocean surface, his newest method of chakra related travel sending plumes of water into the air. As the monotonous mass of water continued on, Naruto focused on his inner world so he and Kurama could discuss the current situation.

'So, do you think we'll run into any opposition?'

**'No way, the psychopathic megalomaniac that's hellbent on activating a tower that can resurrect anyone that has ever lived has obviously sent us away from our friends and comrades for a little down time, since he knows we're both so overworked!'**

'Hey, are you being sarcas...'

**'OF COURSE I'M BEING SARCASTIC!'** Ignoring his partner's outburst, Naruto squinted his eyes as he looked ahead.

'Ocean, ocean, more ocean... Kurama, where the hell are we?'

**'Let's see,' ** Naruto chuckled at the sound of a map being unfurled, the shinobi waiting patiently as Kurama hmm'ing softly while studying said map. **'Well, according to this huge ass map you made, nice job on making the chakra construct act as if it was paper by the way, I'd say we're just about to hit the coast. We should be near... huh, Lamia Scale. We never did return those books we borrowed from Jura, did we?' ** Naruto chuckled nervously as he scratched his cheek.

'Uhhhh... oh look, there's the coast!' Naruto sped up as saw a strip of land slowly peaking over the horizon. As the shinobi drew closer, what had once appeared to be nothing but a beachhead soon towered over the blonde, a large cliff blocking off any entrance from the sea at this spot. Leaping towards the massive stone wall before him, Naruto's hands latched onto an outcropping, the shinobi dangling over the ocean as he watched the powerful waves slam into the cliff. 'Ok, so how are we doing on time?'

"**Let's see... If we trust the megalomaniac...'**

'HAH, as if...'

**'Then we have about two and a half hours. I say... shave off an hour, just to be sure.' **Pulling his legs up towards his chest, Naruto attached his feet to the sheer rock, the shinobi grinning as he studied the path laid out before him. 'Looks pretty flat, perfect place to get to the top of this cliff. ' Naruto 's hand relaxed slowly, the shinobi standing straight as he began breaking the normal laws of gravity once again.

'Ahhh, chakra, you kill my enemies AND routinely break the laws of physics, I love you.'

**'Wait, you know what physics are?'**

'Shut up.' Naruto raced towards the top of the cliff, his arms trailing behind him as he raced towards the top. A quick flip forward once he reached the edge and Naruto was once again on solid ground, the shinobi taking a moment to orient himself once more. Once he was ready, Naruto raced forward, his legs pumping rapidly as he raced onwards.

'There better not be anymore distractions on my way there, or else I'm gonna get pissed.'

* * *

><p>Jellal sat atop his throne once more, a smile appearing as he studied the chessboard at his side. "And so the strongest piece now races to Era, hoping to stop Etherion from taking his loved ones from his arms." Jellal pulled a lacrima from his robes, the crystal brightening as began hovering over his open palm.<p>

"_Jellal... what is the meaning of this interruption? You know that I am in the middle of important research and cannot be bothered for trivial matters!" _ Jellal smirked faintly as he chuckled softly.

"Of course, my apologies, Brain. But I thought it best to inform you that your two guild members were on their way back to you, after failing in their duty to protect the island. It seems the mage they were battling, Uzumaki Naruto, managed to fool the both of them into abandoning their posts. Incidentally, both Cobra and Racer are being given a rare opportunity to fix this oversight, that is if you're able to contact them."

"_Damn them both, allowing a mage from a light guild to fool them. And of course I can contact them, Jellal. Just who do you think provided the council with these communication lacrima? Now, where is this Uzumaki heading?"_

Chapter 11

Era – Council Chambers

T-Minus 60 minutes

Tension's were running high amongst the councillors, each of them continuing to snipe back and forth regarding the use of Etherion. Org had managed to placate several councillors that had become concerned after Naruto's claims that he would 'handle the situation'.

'Even when the brat's not here he causes more work for me. Org coughed loudly into his hand, attracting the attention of the men and women surrounding the table as he leaned forward. "And so, in regards to firing Etherion at the Tower of Paradise, the votes are 4 for and 5 against. As such, Etherion will not be fired."

Siegrain pushed himself our of his chair forcefully, his scowling visage glaring at Org as the elder councillor halted his announcement. "None of you seem to grasp the situation that we are in!"

Org's gaze focused on the the insistent mage, a sigh passing his lips as he dropped a sheet of paper to the table. "Sieg, this debate has gone on for far too long already. There are peaceful ways to approach this situation. Besides, Uzumaki is on the island, he has most likely diffused the situation by now."

Sieg stood tall, a mocking laugh escaping him as he looked at each councillor. "PEACE?! While we waste time debating petty moral victories, history is about to be altered forever!"

Yuri, one of the oldest councillors, cocked an eyebrow at Siegrain's words, his posture becoming guarded as he studied the agitated man before him. "Sieg, we still don't even know if the R-system at the tower is even functional! It's premature to resort to violence, especially when Uzumaki is there."

"Oh really? And when was the last time we got a message from Uzumaki?"

Org scratched at his chin, a bead of nervous sweat sliding down his brow as he swallowed loudly. "It's been an hour. As he requested, Etherion is in the process of being prepped, BUT! We are not going to fire it unless we know for a fact that Uzumaki has been incapacitated. There are many reasons that the Lacrima may not be functioning, and as such..."

"As such," Siegrain interrupted his colleague, his intense glare silencing Org as he took control once more of the ongoing debate. "We need to take matters into our own hands. Can't you feel it? The sensation of shadows and darkness gathering as we speak... just who do you think Jellal is trying to resurrect?" Every eye in the chamber turned towards Siegrain, their thoughts running rampant with the myriad of possibilities for resurrection through the tower. "I'll tell you... Black Mage, Zeref."

Every eye focused on the young man before them, their eyes widening in terror at his proclamation. Leiji was the first to recovery his powers of speech, his voice nearly breaking from the intense fear that permeated the room. "Sieg, how could you possibly know this?!"

Siegrain took a deep breath, his hands curling into fists as he focused on the various papers strewn before him. "I...I didn't want to cast any unnecessary suspicions upon myself, so I didn't tell mention this. I know Jellal, and I know what he intends to accomplish."

Meanwhile...

"DAMMIT! I TOLD YOU RACER!" Cobra shouted angrily, one hand clutching a communication lacrima tightly while the other pulled Racer towards the incensed Dragon Slayer. Racer growled loudly, the speed obsessed Dark Mage managing to pull himself out of his partner's grasp before jabbing an accusing finger towards Cobra.

"Shit! Cobra, stop acting like this is my fault! You felt the explosion and it's shockwave, hell, you even saw and SMELLED the damn smoke! How were we supposed to know that it was all a trick?"

_'Never mind that! You need to cut Uzumaki off, Jellal needs you to buy him some time. If you can slow Uzumaki down for twenty minutes, then his plans should come to fruition. Now go, you'll be able to catch up with this pest at the banks of the Savio river, that will be your best point to hold him off! And just to make sure you are successful, I'm sending in some backup." _

Cobra growled loudly, the Dragon Slayer pocketing the inert lacrima as his eyes quickly closed, the mage activating his Sound Music once more. "Now that Uzumaki isn't nearby, I should be able to pinpoint his location with my Sound magic. Then..."

Racer's gaze shifted towards Cobra, the Slowing Mage tugging at the collar of his jumpsuit as he began to think of a plan to take on Uzumaki again. "Then?"

"Then..." Cobra bared his fangs, a malevolent smile appearing as he patted Cubellios' scaly hide, the flying serpent swinging towards the distant river. "We'll stop him... permanently."

T-Minus 45 minutes

Naruto's eyes tightened as he maintained a steady pace, sweat dotting his brow at the amount of running he was forced to do. **'You do know that we have plenty of time to get there, right? You don't need to use full speed, we're already way ahead of schedule.'**

'Do you really think that things are going to go perfectly? Besides, I've got a baaad feeling about this...'

**'Oh come on, you're a gold mine of good luck! How many times have you had a mission go straight down the...'**

'The Land of Waves with Haku and Zabuza?' Naruto leaped into the air, the shinobi effortlessly landing on a large tree branch before catapulting himself towards he forest directly before him. As the blonde bounced form one branch to the next, a soft grunt returned his attention to the conversation.

**'Good point.' **Naruto gritted his teeth as he forced more chakra to his legs, his speed increasing once more as he continued towards Era.** 'Look, I know your worried about...'**

'Don't even go there, Kurama.' A sigh was Kurama's only response, the shinobi focusing once more on his sole concern at the moment; reaching Era and stopping Etherion. As the forest started thinning around him, Naruto grinned at the sound of rushing water. 'Sweet, that's the Savio river, it means we're almost ... SHIT!' Naruto's eyes widened as rolled to his left, the agile shinobi managing to dodge the majority of the _Dokuryū no Hōkō _that had been aimed at his back_. _As the blonde skidded towards the nearby river, a hiss escaped his lips as he raised an arm upwards, his eyes narrowing as he watched Cobra's magic swiftly eating away at his shirt sleeve and the skin beneath it.

**'Ah dammit, I've got this! Pound the shit out of those fools!'**

Naruto gritted his teeth as he felt the familiar burn of Kurama's chakra, Cobra's Dragon Slayer magic fighting valiantly against the dense chakra, but the battle was soon lost as Naruto felt his arm healing once more. 'Easier said than done, they're both fighting for keeps, why do you think I used that fuin to trick'em before?' Looking towards the sky, Naruto's eyes focused on the winged snake hovering over his head, the shinobi watching Cobra's gaze harden at the sight of his regenerating arm. Racer stepped off of the flying snake's curved form, the blonde speed freak as he landed heavily in a crouch.

"Well, that explains why it was so hard to kill you before. I hate regeneration magic, it always makes things more difficult. Racer, time to make this bastard bleed." Naruto raised his uninjured arm towards his face, a kunai sliding into his palm as he deflected the rapid dagger thrusts from Racer, the dark mage's hand flashing out towards the backpedalling shinobi swiftly as he continued to push him away from the forest.

**'You know, these guys are really pissing me off. Why don't you just use Sennin Modo and crush'em?'**

'Because, we still don't know if this is all we'll be facing, we may need it later... dammit did he get faster? Or am I slower because of his magic? Dammit, to quote my ol'buddy Shika, magic and it's effects are so troublesome... Shit!' Naruto's eyes widened in shock as Racer broke through his guard, a line of fiery pain trailing along his arm as the dark mage's blade bit into his skin. Hissing loudly, Naruto's kunai fell from his fingers, a maniacal grin appearing on Racer's face as he raced towards the the wounded shinobi. Naruto grimaced as he clutched his wounded arm to his chest, his feet still taking him backwards as he tried to get out of range of the advancing dark mage. Just as Racer reached the fallen kunai, a smirk appeared on Naruto's lips, his hands forming a snake sign.

"Heh, boom."

Racer froze in fear but it was too late, the explosion from the tagged kunai sent the mage flying through the air like a rag doll. Naruto grinned evilly as he raised his arms, wincing at the lingering pain from his injuries, as chakra gathered around his hands and forearms.

"_FUTON: KAZEDAN!"_* Naruto's fists punched out towards Racer with a one-two combo, the shinobi grinning as he watched a pair of dense wind spheres racing towards the airborne mage. Racer screamed loudly as the first sphere hit him, his body immediately into a nearby tree. Groaning loudly, Racer lifted his head and a raised single shaky hand towards Naruto moments before the second sphere slammed into him, the dark mage gasping before he passed out. Naruto grinned as he turned towards his remaining foe. 'Not too shabby... I'm going to have to come up with some more variations involving futon chakra. Now for... whoops!' Naruto rolled to the side, the patch of ground he had been standing on melting away rapidly as Cobra's poison seeped into the ground.

"You little fucker! I'm gonna kill you real slowly..." Naruto grinned as he raced towards Cobra, the furious Dragon Slayer launching a wide swath of _Dokuryū Ringa_ in the shinobi's path, the blonde grinning widely as he swiftly dodged the incoming storm of scale shaped poison.

'Wow, his aim sucks! So, how long do you think he can keep this up?'

**'Hmmm, I'd say you've got a little under 40 minutes...dammit kit, I think we've got more company!' **

Naruto's eyes widened as a new presence entered his sensor range, but it was too late for the shinobi to react as the ground beneath him roiled angrily, waves of liquified soil wrapping around the trapped shinobi and holding him solidly in their earthen grasp. Growling loudly, Naruto struggled against the clinging soil, when a brilliant beam of energy lanced towards the trapped shinobi, the blonde's eyes widening as the deadly stream of energy continued on it's course towards the entrapped man. Just before the beam of energy stuck, Naruto growled softly, his eyes never wavering as he saw his approaching doom.

"Shit."

* * *

><p>Cobra smirked at the sight of the trapped mage, the blonde struggling valiantly to free himself from the mire surrounding him. But before he could even begin to free imself, a blazing blast of energy careened towards the trapped mage, Cobra cackling madly as he watched the energy near the trapped blonde. "Now we finally see what your really made of! Die, trash!"<p>

As the beam of energy reached it's target, a powerful explosion threw dirt and debris across the clearing. Cobra grinned maniacally as he raised one of his arms over his face to wards off the falling debris, blocking his view of the dense cloud of smoke before him. Several moments passed before Cobra lowered his arm, the Poison Dragon Slayer's grin widening as he surveyed the deep crater in place of the infuriating Uzumaki. "Heh, not even a body! I guess we've done more than just held him up... wouldn't you agree, Angel? Hoteye?"

Cobra looked over his shoulder towards the darkened forest, his eyes making out the shadowed forms of his comrades as they stepped into the light. Angel yawned loudly, the white haired beauty crossing her arms under her large bust as she surveyed the demolished area before her. "Cobra, Racer, did you really have that much trouble with that fool? We barely had to even try to destroy him, what have you been doing this entire time?"

Hoteye chuckled loudly, his hands clutching his book against his chest while he also studied the scene before him. "I know, right? And after all their talk about being more than enough to guard the Tower of Heaven, I'm surprised to see the two of you loosing to a piece of cheap trash like that dearly departed blonde pest, right?" Cobra growled loudly at the pairs smug attitudes, the Dragon Slayer turning towards his fellow guild members angrily. Racer meanwhile had finally woken up, the groggy mage struggling to rise to his feet as he heard his comrades belittling the hellish nightmare that the duo had just been through. Cobra growled loudly as he glared at the smug pair before him, his fangs bared as poison dripped from his clenched fists.

"Don't get cocky, bitch! The only reason you even killed him is because the both of you caught him off guard! If Uzumaki had gotten even a whiff of you, he..."

"He would have created an elaborate escape plan, allowing him to remain hidden until it was the perfect time to spring a counter attack against the three of you... ne?" Cobra's eyes widened as his entire body went ridged, the sensation of a muscled arm thrown over his shoulder causing the young man's head to slowly turn to his left. In the same spot that Racer had just occupied there now stood a grinning Uzumaki, his undamaged body stunning every member of Oracion Seis into silence. "Now, I must admit, that wasn't bad... but in all seriousness, that ambush was kinda, well, childish. The boss' first sensei was harder on him when he was thirteen, and lets not even talk about what he'd do to him when he was older."

Cobra's elbow slammed into the blonde man's gut, a move that blanketed the field in dense smoke. Hoteye coughed loudly as he thrashed about inside the dense smog, while Angel quickly covered her mouth and scanned the dense cloud enveloping her. Cobra tsk'ed loudly, poison dripping from his hands as he relied on his superhuman senses to locate the blonde. "Dammit, this is exactly what I meant, this guy is insane! Where the hell are you and what did you do with Racer?!"

A burst of wind pushed the dense smoke away, the trio's eyes landing on the unconcerned mage before them. Naruto folded his arms over his chest, his expression turning introspective as he tapped his foot softly against the ground. "Racer? Racer... oh, you mean the other blonde. He's fine, see for yourself!" The sound of rustling leaves attracted the three mages gazes, their eyes widening comically as a tightly bound Racer fell from a tall tree, his reunion with the firm ground being halted swiftly by a thin wire.

Angel giggled softly as she watched the struggling mage sway gently back and forth, his body language clearly communicating his intense anger at his current situation. "Oh, he's going to be pissed off when he gets free. Now I see why this Uzumaki character has been so hard to stop, he's a very resourceful man... not to mention quite handsome. You know, I'm kinda lonely, how about keeping me company? You could leave Fairy Tail and join Oracion Seis! We can use someone of your obvious talents and I'm sure you and I could... find something to keep the both of us 'busy'." Angel crossed her arms under her bust, a saucy grin forming as she watched the blonde's eyes lock onto her partially exposed chest.

"Well that's new. I'm flattered, cause you're hot, but I already have a girlfriend. And I don't think she wants to share me."

Angel chuckled softly, her gaze slowly darkening as she licked her lips. "Oh, you silly boy, she wouldn't need to share you, we'd take her out of the picture completely! It'll be just you and me, nothing would be able to stop us." Angel smirked as she moved towards the still blonde, her hips swaying enticingly as she neared the wide eyed mage. Cobra and Hoteye stared dumbfounded at the situation before them, both men unwilling to interrupt the scene and risk earning Angel's wrath as they continued to watch the events unfolding before them intently.

"Besides, I'm not the jealous type, I'm more than willing to let you sleep with any other girl you want! Actually," Angel paused, her expression turning playful as she pulled a golden key from her keyring, the magic construct flashing brightly as it's spirit was summoned. Angel's grin grew as she watched the blonde's eyes focus on the curvaceous form of Aries, the shy spirit's gaze shifting towards the ground shyly. "I'll let you do anything you want to little Aries here, she's more than willing to let you treat her like your slave whenever you want, isn't that right, Aries?" A hesitant nod was the spirit's only answer, the smirking Angel leaving her spirit's side until she was in front of Naruto. Reaching towards the still blonde, Angel wrapped her arms around his neck lovingly as she pulled him towards her, her head cocking to the side as she studied the blonde's blank face. "So what do you say, stud?"

Meanwhile, in Naruto's Inner World...

"**BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Mira is gonna kill you if she ever hears about this, kit!"**

Naruto grinned as he and Kurama watched the scene unfolding out in the real world, the pair having decided to wait and see how it all played out before the shinobi responded to the white haired girl's offer. Naruto's humorous expression soon shifted to one of anger, the blonde shaking his head as he watched the shy spirit walking towards his still form, her body language screaming that she didn't want to be the blonde's slave, while her actions showed that she was unable to refuse her master's order. "Yeah well, I guess we'll have to leave this part out then. I wish there was some way to free that spirit, but the only way I know how to do that is by killing her summoner. Maybe Lucy would know a better way..."

"**But then you'd have to tell Lucy about this."**

Naruto had been stroking his chin as he contemplated the situation, when Kurama's final words registered with the blonde, his gaze shifting slowly towards his partner. "Good point. We'll never speak of this again, deal?"

"**Deal. Now, what's next?"**

"Oh you'll see..."

* * *

><p>Naruto's grinned roguishly, his hands rested gently on Angel's hips as he licked his lips. Angel smiled sensuously as her arms tightened around Naruto's neck, the pair drawing closer until their foreheads were gently touching. "Well, beautiful, I have just two words for that amazing offer."<p>

Angel giggled softly, shivers running down her spine as she felt the blonde's muscled form molding to her own. "Really? And what would those be?" Both Hoteye and Cobra were watching the scene before them, the dumbfounded pair blown away at how the bastard they couldn't beat was falling for Angel's little show hook, line and sinker!

"_Bushin Daibakuha." _ Angel's eyes widened in fear as the clone she held in her arm's began to glow brightly, the Dark mage swiftly drawing her arms towards her exposed face and chest. "ARIES, PROTECT M..." Angel's shout was cut off as the clone exploded, flinging the young woman across the open field like a rag doll. Coughing loudly, Angel slowly stood, clumps of burnt wool falling to the ground as she her glaring eyes swiftly scanned the clearing for the real Naruto. Growling loudly, Angel's glare shifted towards a laughing Cobra, the Dragon Slayer falling to the ground as he witnessed the explosive scene. Hoteye stood silently, hoping that his silence was enough to avoid attracting the volatile woman's wrath.

"Oh, I can see that he 'loves' you sooooo much! Hah, serves you right, you bitch! Come on, let's just kill him and call it a day!"

Before Angel could throw out a retort, Naruto dropped out of the tree he had been hiding in, his hands brushing away several stray leaves and branches as he approached the three Dark Mage's arrayed before him. "Yeah, I think it's time to stop playing with you guys. I've got somewhere else to be, so I'll leave you with a small parting gift." Raising his left arm, Naruto grinned happily as a green seal exploded to life around his forearm. "Sennin Modo."

T-Minus 25 minutes

Yamaji slammed his clenched fist angrily against the bannister before him, his eyes tightening as he watched the flurry of activity throughout the chamber. "This is wrong, we can't sacrifice the lives of the people on that island. There has to be another way..."

"_Target acquired, adjusting spatial coordinates."_

"_The mountainous region to the west is causing coordinate calibration issues, compensate by increasing the satellite's altitude."_

"_Charge at 60% and climbing, fire control has finished the integration process with Etherion's seal. We will be able to fire in 25 minutes."_

Growling softly, Yajima scanned the balcony overlooking the main control room, the old man studying his fellow councillors expressions as the preparations continued. Each of them appeared fearful and worried, something that was expected after Siegrain had told them all that resurrecting Zeref was Jellal's objective. 'Speaking of Sieg...'

Yajima's gaze shifted towards the youngest councillors, his experienced gaze studying the pair as they watched the preparations of Etherion. Both exhibited signs of nervousness and apprehension, similar to how they had acted during the recent meeting. But underneath it all, it almost seemed as if the pair were... excited. Stepping away from the bannister, Yajima stepped into a shadowed portion of the circular balcony, a magic seal flaring for a brief instant before the old man disappeared completely.

* * *

><p>Siegrain's hands rested against the cool stone bannister, the young man's intense gaze following ever action made by the mages controlling the powerful spell that would soon be unleashed against the Tower of Heaven.<p>

"The time is almost upon us, Sieg-sama." Siegrain continued to stare at the busy floor below him, his attention never wavering as Ultear stopped at his side. "Very soon, the plans that you have concealed for these long years can be revealed for all to see."

"I take it you're not afraid, Ultear?"

Laughing lightly, Ultear raised s hand to hide the musical sound from the other councillors. "Of course I'm not afraid, not even a little. After all, I have complete trust in you, Sieg-sama"

Standing tall, Siegrain put his hands behind his back, his gaze shifting towards the dark haired beauty at his side. "Yes... I see. After all, it's not your life in danger, is it? Personally, I find myself trembling as the anticipation grows. If this succeeds, then my plans will finally come to fruition. If it fails, then I die." Sieg paused for a moment, his lips curling into a malevolent grin as he shifted his gaze back towards the mages scurrying around below him. "But this is worth putting my life on the line... after all, this is my dream."

Ultear nodded as she stood beside her partner, her own gaze focusing on the proceedings below. But unbeknownst to the two powerful mages, their conversation was not as private as they had hoped. Safe behind a large pillar, the flat image of Yajima closed his eyes in confusion, the old man trying to understand the reason behind the words of doom that had been spoken. 'He'll die? What the blazes are those two playing at?'

T-Minus – 20 minutes

**'Seriously. What the hell is wrong with you?******'****

'Eh?'

**'They're still alive! How the hell are you letting this mockery to continue? The moment you went into Sage mode, I thought we had everything sewn up and we could make it in time to stop the council. This is bullshit, kit.'**

Naruto held in a frustrated growl as he ducked under another wave of poison, the sound of the tree behind him snapping under it's own weight sending the shinobi scurrying away from the corroding trunk. Reaching into his weapon pouch, Naruto threw a smoke bomb at the ground, the shinobi swiftly hiding behind a tree as he caught his breath. 'Kurama, how do I normally fight?'

**'Duh, you leave openings big enough for Reedus to pass through then capitalize on your enemies stupidity... wait a minute.'**

'Oh, are you finally starting to use that erratic, misfiring hunk of machinery you call a brain?'

**'Bite me.'**

Naruto leaped over another blast of energy from Angel's mechanical spirit, the enraged woman screaming loudly as she gestured angrily at the nimble foe. "Dammit, just take it like a man and die! Keep firing, Caelum, fry the bastard!"

Naruto dodged several blasts before his chakra coated feet stuck to a nearby tree trunk, the shinobi looking towards Cobra and Hoteye with an expression of disbelief. "Seriously? Please tell me she isn't so bat shit insane to think people should just roll over and let her kill them?" The blonde shinobi growled softly as Hoteye sent another wave of liquified earth chasing after him, while Cobra continued launching wave after wave of poison at his foe while keeping Cubellios behind him. "Geez, tough crowd."

'And there we are, standing completely still and the only one that is even attacking me seriously is the pissed of chick and that was before I stopped moving. Once I can understand it cause their being cautious... but over a dozen times? Something stinks here... and it ain't Natsu's laundry.'

**'Ugh, don't remind me, that stuff should be considered a bio-hazard.'**

'Agreed, now do something useful and tell me how much time I have left before we think Etherion's going to fire.'

**'20 minutes, give or take.'**

'Shit, gotta speed this up, we'll save the mystery for later... which means we're gonna need them alive.'

**'Awww, you suck!'**

Naruto grinned cheekily as he continued to dodge around the roiling ground at his feet, his mocking expression causing Hoteye to growl loudly in irritation. 'Now now, we'll go kill some deserving bastard later...whoa!' Naruto's eyes widened as he dove towards the ground, the blonde covering the top of his head as a sand twister, courtesy of Scorpio, engulfed the tree at the shinobi's back. Naruto looked over his shoulder as the sand filled tunnel of wind swiftly ground the tall tree into sawdust within moments. 'Yeah, that's it, that twister had enough power to strip the skin from my bones, that's enough trying to figure this shit out! It's time to put'em in their place!' Naruto swiftly rolled on his back before performing a kip-up, the shinobi landing in a crouch before he slammed his hands together, an aura of chakra flaring brightly around his still body as he faced the trio of dark mages. "FUTON: KAMIKAZE KABE!"**

Naruto grinned evilly as he watched the three dark mages watch in wide eyed fear as a dozen tornadoes raced towards them, the deadly funnels of air pausing in their path of destruction as they formed a circular barrier around the now frozen trio. Naruto grinned as rose to his feet, the shinobi cackling softly as he approached a feebly struggling Racer. Naruto grinned evilly as he sliced the wire holding the struggling man aloft, the dark mage screaming weakly as he was flung towards the wall of stationary tornado's. A twitch of Naruto's hand parted a pair of the wind funnels, allowing the weakened man to roll to a stop beside his fellow dark mages. Pulling several items form his pouches, Naruto created several clones that swiftly formed a square around the trapped mages.

"LET US OUT OF HERE, YOU MOTHERFUCKER! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Naruto looked towards his clones, each of them staring at a red faced Angel, her breasts heaving as she continued screaming loudly at the original.

"Man, and I thought Erza had temper problems. Well, it's been fun, but I gotta split. The boys here are getting your room ready, so just was a sec and we'll be on our way. Ready guys?"

"YOSHA, BOSS!" Each clone charged a single tag before slamming the chakra enhanced paper into the ground, their hands continuing to feed their chakra into the tags as a red barrier rose towards the sky. Naruto's grin widened as he watched the tornadoes keeping the members of Oracion Seis pinned in place dissipate once the barrier was complete.

"Shisekiyōjin, successful!" Naruto walked towards the glowing barrier, a grin forming as he watched Angel jab her finger angrily at the shinobi, the irate woman apparently shouting several obscenities that Naruto was unable to hear. "Wow, that woman sure does have a mouth. Ok, you four, keep this running for as long as you can, I'm heading to the Council headquarters." A quartet of confirmations were the last sound Naruto heard before he raced towards Era once more, his Sennin enhanced speed allowing him to make up the lost time swiftly.

**'You're cutting it REALLY close, kit.' **Naruto growled softly as he raced towards Era, his eyes tightening as he hoped that he'd be in time.

'If I'm too late... then they'll all die, it's as simple as that. First, the council, then we grab these assholes and use some tried and true interrogation...'

**'Torture.'**

'Yeah, like I said, interrogation. Then we'll make them all pay. I've gotten a real family after more than 20 years, I'm not willing to let them go quietly.'

T-Minus – 30 seconds

Yajima kept his gaze focused on Siegrain and Ultear, the old mage running their conversation through his mind over and over again. All around the council, the final preparations were being wrapped up, the Satellite Square's resting directly above the Tower of Heaven. 'I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, but there's no way to stop this, forgive us for what we are about to do.'

"OOORYAAAA!" Yajima's head spun around, the loud, familiar shout attracting the old councillor's attention.

"It can't be... Uzu..."

* * *

><p>"..maki! You will stand down immediately, you have no authority here, the council had ordered us that they are not to be disturbed!" Naruto growled loudly, his hand grabbing the pompous Rune knight's arm and throwing the protesting man out of his way. Naruto's eyes narrowed angrily as he fought against the dozen men trying to hold him back, the blonde's hand reaching out towards the nearby doors that lead to Etherion's control room.<p>

"FUCK YOU! LET ME THROUGH, THERE'S NO MORE TIME! THE COUNCIL'S BEING PLAYED!" A newly arrived squad of Rune knights leaped at the struggling shinobi, but Naruto had finally had enough as a burst of wind chakra exploded from his body, pinning the now screaming knights to the walls of the corridor. Racing forward, Naruto burst through the doors leading to the control room, his eyes widening as he saw a beam of light racing towards the magic seal hovering near the ceiling.

Siegrain looked over his shoulder, a evil grin forming as he saw Naruto's eyes widen in fear. "Thus we pray to the sacred light... ETHERION, RELEASE!"

* * *

><p>Mira turned away from Erza and Jellal as the scarlet haired mage spoke softly to the defeated man beneath her. Looking towards one of the many large windows surrounding her, Mira sniffled softly as tears flowed down her cheeks, her gaze focusing on the brilliant white light that shone down on the tower. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, Mira smiled sadly as she pulled a familiar necklace from between her breasts, her fingers gently caressing the gemstone before looking up once more. "Goodbye, Naruto." Clutching the necklace tightly, Mira watched as the light increased in brightness, her hands clutching the stone desperately as everything went white.<p>

* * *

><p>Naruto fell to his knees, the lacrima screens showing nothing but smoke as the blonde shook his head in denial. "No... no... she can't be..." Looking towards the members of the council, Naruto's gaze fell on the smirking Siegrain. Yellow eyes widened in shock, shock that swiftly turned to fury. Naruto roared loudly, Kurama echoing his containers rage as he unleashing his killing intent. Naruto raced towards the blue haired man, his forearm pressing against his throat as he slammed the mage against a stone pillar. "YOU SON OF A..."<p>

"UZUMAKI, RELEASE HIM!" Naruto's yellowed eyed gaze shifted towards a red faced Org, the older mage sweating from the intense aura that Naruto was putting out as he pinned Siegrain to the wall.

"You don't understand, ossan! He's been playing you, this ain't Sieg! Can't you tell that he's a..."

"Thought Projection." Silence met Sieg's revelation, the majority of the councillor's shaking their heads in denial as the watched the scene unfolding before them. "All of you will want to look at the viewer, I guarantee that you don't want to miss this." Every councillor's eyes shifted towards viewer, while the projection of Sieg began to softly laugh. Naruto tore his gaze from the laughing mass of energy, , his eyes tightening angrily as the viewer showed the clouds of dust dissipated slowly. Several moments passed when finally a drastically different Tower of Heaven was revealed.

"You bastard. You wanted them to fire Etherion! You needed..."

"Two point seven billion edeas, more magic than any one being could hope to gather in a lifetime. I must thank you all for making this possible, and now I believe it is time for me to go resurrect my master." Naruto growled loudly as the thought projection faded from sight, the shinobi grabbing Org's robe and hauling the old mage off of his feet.

"And this is why I said that you shouldn't use shit like this! You never know when it's gonna come back and bite you in the ass! All I can say is you're all lucky that Mira's not dead, otherwise... eh?" Naruto paused in mid threat, his head tilting upwards as he felt several small stones gently landing on his head. "What the hell?" As the shinobi looked towards the stone rafters over his head, Naruto's eyes narrowed as he watched a multitude of cracks rapidly growing along the various supports above him. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he saw streams of magic flowing from the decaying building, each of these streamers leading towards the still form of a smirking Ultear. "Crap baskets. Get out, NOW!"

None of the councillors felt the need to argue with the visibly furious shinobi, their tails firmly planted between their legs as they ran out of the disintegrating building. Naruto watched as the remaining councillors escaped from the collapsing structure, the shinobi growling as he raced towards a still smirking Ultear.

"Come now, Kage. I am far beyond your skills, you should run with the others while you still have the chan..." Ultear's voice cut off as Naruto's hand latched onto her face, the shinobi tossing the shocked woman contemptuously through a crumbling wall. Ultear screamed in fear and pain as she sailed through the air, her body slamming painfully into the ground. Groaning softly, Ultear slowly rose to her feet, her furious gaze locking onto the man that had tossed her away as if she were nothing more than trash.

Naruto cracked his knuckles loudly, a pair of kunai appearing in his hands as stared down at the furious woman. "Where I come from, I have a name that I've neglected to share with the council. Friends and enemies both agreed that I had earned the name 'Number One Unpredictable Shinobi'. How about I show you exactly what that means, ne?"

* * *

><p>And we'll end it there. Read, review, tell me if you liked or even if you hated it, but please keep flames constructive, if you have a valid point I'd love to hear it. Just saying it sucks doesn't help me fix problems.<p>

Technique list

Bushin Daibakuha_ – _Great Clone explosion... nuff said.

FUTON: KAZEDAN – Wind Release: Wind Bullet – Revision of Renkūdan, wind chakra surrounds the user's arms and releases wind bullets with each punch

FUTON: KAMIKAZE KABE – Wind Release: Divine Wind Wall – Revision of Kamikaze, a dozen tornadoes encircle a group of enemies

Shisekiyōjin - Four Red Yang Formation, a barrier powerful enough to trap the Juubi


	12. Chapter 11

So, one of the reviews I got said that my reasons for Naruto not killing were weak... good call, Freshnerd. I agree, I gave pretty weak reasons, since first and foremost Naruto is a shinobi, meaning he can kill and doesn't shy away from it if it's needed. So, I decided to change chapter 10 and to make sure everyone gets to read them they are going to be part of this chapter until I write Chapter 12. SO if you've just read chapter 10 today, scroll down to the new stuff and enjoy!

T-Minus – 20 minutes

**'Seriously. What the hell is wrong with you?******'****

**'Eh?'**

**'They're still alive! How the hell are you letting this mockery to continue? The moment you went into Sage mode, I thought we had everything sewn up and we could make it in time to stop the council. This is bullshit, kit.'**

Naruto held in a frustrated growl as he ducked under another wave of poison, the sound of the tree behind him snapping under it's own weight sending the shinobi scurrying away from the corroding trunk. Reaching into his weapon pouch, Naruto threw a smoke bomb at the ground, the shinobi swiftly hiding behind a tree as he caught his breath. 'Kurama, how do I normally fight?'

**'Duh, you leave openings big enough for Reedus to pass through then capitalize on your enemies stupidity... wait a minute.'**

'Oh, are you finally starting to use that erratic, misfiring hunk of machinery you call a brain?'

**'Bite me.'**

Naruto leaped over another blast of energy from Angel's mechanical spirit, the enraged woman screaming loudly as she gestured angrily at the nimble foe. "Dammit, just take it like a man and die! Keep firing, Caelum, fry the bastard!"

Naruto dodged several blasts before his chakra coated feet stuck to a nearby tree trunk, the shinobi looking towards Cobra and Hoteye with an expression of disbelief. "Seriously? Please tell me she isn't so bat shit insane to think people should just roll over and let her kill them?" The blonde shinobi growled softly as Hoteye sent another wave of liquified earth chasing after him, while Cobra continued launching wave after wave of poison at his foe while keeping Cubellios behind him. "Geez, tough crowd."

'And there we are, standing completely still and the only one that is even attacking me seriously is the pissed of chick and that was before I stopped moving. Once I can understand it cause their being cautious... but over a dozen times? Something stinks here... and it ain't Natsu's laundry.'

**'Ugh, don't remind me, that stuff should be considered a bio-hazard.'**

'Agreed, now do something useful and tell me how much time I have left before we think Etherion's going to fire.'

**'20 minutes, give or take.'**

'Shit, gotta speed this up, we'll save the mystery for later... which means we're gonna need them alive.'

**'Awww, you suck!'**

Naruto grinned cheekily as he continued to dodge around the roiling ground at his feet, his mocking expression causing Hoteye to growl loudly in irritation. 'Now now, we'll go kill some deserving bastard later...whoa!' Naruto's eyes widened as he dove towards the ground, the blonde covering the top of his head as a sand twister, courtesy of Scorpio, engulfed the tree at the shinobi's back. Naruto looked over his shoulder as the sand filled tunnel of wind swiftly ground the tall tree into sawdust within moments. 'Yeah, that's it, that twister had enough power to strip the skin from my bones, that's enough trying to figure this shit out! It's time to put'em in their place!' Naruto swiftly rolled on his back before performing a kip-up, the shinobi landing in a crouch before he slammed his hands together, an aura of chakra flaring brightly around his still body as he faced the trio of Dark mages. "FUTON: KAMIKAZE KABE!"**

Naruto grinned evilly as he watched the three dark mages watch in wide eyed fear as a dozen tornadoes raced towards them, the deadly funnels of air pausing in their path of destruction as they formed a circular barrier around the now frozen trio. Naruto grinned as rose to his feet, the shinobi cackling softly as he approached a feebly struggling Racer. Naruto grinned evilly as he sliced the wire holding the struggling man aloft, the dark mage screaming weakly as he was flung towards the wall of stationary tornado's. A twitch of Naruto's hand parted a pair of the wind funnels, allowing the weakened man to roll to a stop beside his fellow dark mages. Pulling several items form his pouches, Naruto created several clones that swiftly formed a square around the trapped mages.

"LET US OUT OF HERE, YOU MOTHERFUCKER! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Naruto looked towards his clones, each of them staring at a red faced Angel, her breasts heaving as she continued screaming loudly at the original.

"Man, and I thought Erza had temper problems. Well, it's been fun, but I gotta split. The boys here are getting your room ready, so just was a sec and we'll be on our way. Ready guys?"

"YOSHA, BOSS!" Each clone charged a single tag before slamming the chakra enhanced paper into the ground, their hands continuing to feed their chakra into the tags as a red barrier rose towards the sky. Naruto's grin widened as he watched the tornadoes keeping the members of Oracion Seis pinned in place dissipate once the barrier was complete.

"Shisekiyōjin, successful!" Naruto walked towards the glowing barrier, a grin forming as he watched Angel jab her finger angrily at the shinobi, the irate woman apparently shouting several obscenities that Naruto was unable to hear. "Wow, that woman sure does have a mouth. Ok, you four, keep this running for as long as you can, I'm heading to the Council headquarters." A quartet of confirmations were the last sound Naruto heard before he raced towards Era once more, his Sennin enhanced speed allowing him to make up the lost time swiftly.

**'You're cutting it REALLY close, kit.' **Naruto growled softly as he raced towards Era, his eyes tightening as he hoped that he'd be in time.

'If I'm too late... then they'll all die, it's as simple as that. First, the council, then we grab these assholes and use some tried and true interrogation...'

**'Torture.'**

'Yeah, like I said, interrogation. Then we'll make them all pay. I've gotten a real family after more than 20 years, I'm not willing to let them go quietly.'

T-Minus – 30 seconds

Yajima kept his gaze focused on Siegrain and Ultear, the old mage running their conversation through his mind over and over again. All around the council, the final preparations were being wrapped up, the Satellite Square's resting directly above the Tower of Heaven. 'I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, but there's no way to stop this, forgive us for what we are about to do.'

"OOORYAAAA!" Yajima's head spun around, the loud, familiar shout attracting the old councillor's attention.

"It can't be... Uzu..."

* * *

><p>"..maki! You will stand down immediately, you have no authority here, the council had ordered us that they are not to be disturbed!" Naruto growled loudly, his hand grabbing the pompous Rune knight's arm and throwing the protesting man out of his way. Naruto's eyes narrowed angrily as he fought against the dozen men trying to hold him back, the blonde's hand reaching out towards the nearby doors that lead to Etherion's control room.<p>

"FUCK YOU! LET ME THROUGH, THERE'S NO MORE TIME! THE COUNCIL'S BEING PLAYED!" A newly arrived squad of Rune knights leaped at the struggling shinobi, but Naruto had finally had enough as a burst of wind chakra exploded from his body, pinning the now screaming knights to the walls of the corridor. Racing forward, Naruto burst through the doors leading to the control room, his eyes widening as he saw a beam of light racing towards the magic seal hovering near the ceiling.

Siegrain looked over his shoulder, a evil grin forming as he saw Naruto's eyes widen in fear. "Thus we pray to the sacred light... ETHERION, RELEASE!"

* * *

><p>Mira turned away from Erza and Jellal as the scarlet haired mage spoke softly to the defeated man beneath her. Looking towards one of the many large windows surrounding her, Mira sniffled softly as tears flowed down her cheeks, her gaze focusing on the brilliant white light that shone down on the tower. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, Mira smiled sadly as she pulled a familiar necklace from between her breasts, her fingers gently caressing the gemstone before looking up once more. "Goodbye, Naruto." Clutching the necklace tightly, Mira watched as the light increased in brightness, her hands clutching the stone desperately as everything went white.<p>

* * *

><p>Naruto fell to his knees, the lacrima screens showing nothing but smoke as the blonde shook his head in denial. "No... no... she can't be..." Looking towards the members of the council, Naruto's gaze fell on the smirking Siegrain. Yellow eyes widened in shock, shock that swiftly turned to fury. Naruto roared loudly, Kurama echoing his containers rage as he unleashing his killing intent. Naruto raced towards the blue haired man, his forearm pressing against his throat as he slammed the mage against a stone pillar. "YOU SON OF A..."<p>

"UZUMAKI, RELEASE HIM!" Naruto's yellowed eyed gaze shifted towards a red faced Org, the older mage sweating from the intense aura that Naruto was putting out as he pinned Siegrain to the wall.

"You don't understand, ossan! He's been playing you, this ain't Sieg! Can't you tell that he's a..."

"Thought Projection." Silence met Sieg's revelation, the majority of the councillor's shaking their heads in denial as the watched the scene unfolding before them. "All of you will want to look at the viewer, I guarantee that you don't want to miss this." Every councillor's eyes shifted towards viewer, while the projection of Sieg began to softly laugh. Naruto tore his gaze from the laughing mass of energy, , his eyes tightening angrily as the viewer showed the clouds of dust dissipated slowly. Several moments passed when finally a drastically different Tower of Heaven was revealed.

"You bastard. You wanted them to fire Etherion! You needed..."

"Two point seven billion edeas, more magic than any one being could hope to gather in a lifetime. I must thank you all for making this possible, and now I believe it is time for me to go resurrect my master." Naruto growled loudly as the thought projection faded from sight, the shinobi grabbing Org's robe and hauling the old mage off of his feet.

"And this is why I said that you shouldn't use shit like this! You never know when it's gonna come back and bite you in the ass! All I can say is you're all lucky that Mira's not dead, otherwise... eh?" Naruto paused in mid threat, his head tilting upwards as he felt several small stones gently landing on his head. "What the hell?" As the shinobi looked towards the stone rafters over his head, Naruto's eyes narrowed as he watched a multitude of cracks rapidly growing along the various supports above him. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he saw streams of magic flowing from the decaying building, each of these streamers leading towards the still form of a smirking Ultear. "Crap baskets. Get out, NOW!"

None of the councillors felt the need to argue with the visibly furious shinobi, their tails firmly planted between their legs as they ran out of the disintegrating building. Naruto watched as the remaining councillors escaped from the collapsing structure, the shinobi growling as he raced towards a still smirking Ultear.

"Come now, Kage. I am far beyond your skills, you should run with the others while you still have the chan..." Ultear's voice cut off as Naruto's hand latched onto her face, the shinobi tossing the shocked woman contemptuously through a crumbling wall. Ultear screamed in fear and pain as she sailed through the air, her body slamming painfully into the ground. Groaning softly, Ultear slowly rose to her feet, her furious gaze locking onto the man that had tossed her away as if she were nothing more than trash.

Naruto cracked his knuckles loudly, a pair of kunai appearing in his hands as stared down at the furious woman. "Where I come from, I have a name that I've neglected to share with the council. Friends and enemies both agreed that I had earned the name 'Number One Unpredictable Shinobi'. How about I show you exactly what that means, ne?"

* * *

><p>And now, onto the new stuff!<p>

* * *

><p>Chapter 11<p>

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he silently entered the dense forest surrounding Era, his eyes shifting back and forth as he attempted to locate his prey. Naruto was used to wandering through the multitude of forests that covered Fiore, the shinobi almost feeling like he was back home again as he raced under the boughs of the large trees that spread throughout the country. Another wonderful side affect of Naruto's Sennin training was the fact that his aura was permanently intertwined with nature, meaning his presence would no longer send the various woodland creatures running as he walked passed them. But the forest was silent, the various nocturnal creatures staying still in the presence of the shinobi's quarry.

**'So, do you think she got away? She did seem a little annoyed at getting knocked around, she could have already taken off.'**

Naruto shook his head slowly as he leaned against a tree, his ears straining to pickup any sound from the running woman. 'No, she's not that much of a wuss. That wall was already weakened from her magic, she barely got a scratch on her when she broke through it. The most it did was make her angry with me, meaning that if she gets the chance she'll try and take me out. She's out there, hiding... waiting for the right moment...' Naruto paused at the sound of rustling leaves overhead, the shinobi's head jerking upward. Naruto blinked for a moment in confusion at the sight over his head, the entire area was jammed full of... 'Lacrima?'

"Congratulations, 'Unpredictable one', you've walked into my trap. _Furasshu Fowādo_!" Naruto watched as Ultear faded into view, a vicious grin splitting her lips as she thrust her hand towards him. Naruto cursed softly as he watched the horde of hanging lacrima spheres racing towards him, the shinobi dodging madly amid the swarm of spheres. But after the first few orbs continued to follow him, Naruto cursed loudly before slamming his hands into the ground, the blonde shinobi grinning broadly as he swiftly sunk out of sight.

'Thanks Kakashi-Sensei for teaching me _Moguragakure no Jutsu_.' Naruto waited patiently as he heard multiple impacts on the surface, the sound of breaking crystal eliciting a grin from the waiting shinobi. After several moments of silence, Naruto burst out of the ground, the blonde whistling at the vast amount of destroyed crystals laying at his feet. A soft cough from his opponent attracted Naruto's attention, her finger pointing patiently over the blonde's head at the remaining lacrima floating overhead.

'So, it looks like they can track me... and she has a shit ton of them. So, what other annoying abilities do you suppose she has?'

**'You know, I get this nagging feeling that I've seen this attack pattern before. Spam a huge number of copies, throw them at your opponent, then rinse and repeat. Any idea who I'm talking about, kit?'**

Naruto growled softly at the teasing tone Kurama was using, the blonde preparing to move once more. 'SHE'S NOTHING LIKE ME!' Naruto's eyes narrowed angrily as he leaped into the trees, his highly trained situational awareness saving him time and time again as he managed to keep a step ahead of the swarm of flying crystal nipping at his heels 'HER STUPID LACRIMA ATTACK HAS NO PENACHE, NO FEELING! SHE'S NOTHING BUT A TWO BIT HACK I TELL YA, A TWO BIT HACK!'

**'You know, your vocabulary's getting a lot better... have you been reading Levi's books again? You know those things give you migraines.'**

'Shut up! Kinda in the middle of a fight here!' Naruto spun through the air, the shinobi barely managing to keep ahead of the lacrima orbs as he raced through the treetops. Naruto's hands glowed brightly as he focused futon chakra around them, the blonde's fists lashing out and destroying several orbs that got too close. But before he could destroy the last of them, a single orb slipped past his defences, burying itself in Naruto's gut. Groaning loudly, Naruto was unprepared for the second orb that slammed into his back, sending the shinobi skidding to the ground in a heap. Groaning softly, Naruto slowly rose to his feet, his twinging back and stomach causing the shinobi to wince painfully as he faced a still grinning Ultear.

"Aww, is the big, bad Kage hurt? Just hold still, I'll make the pain go away!" Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as the remaining lacrima spheres raced towards his head, the blonde dropping to the ground moments before the crystals could hit him. The heavy spheres slammed into a tree trunk right behind the shinobi, the dense orbs exploding into a multitude of glittering fragments that rained down on the prone man. Standing slowly, Naruto dusted the fragments and dust from his clothes, a pained grin appearing as he studied the woman standing before him.

"You know, I don't think destroying those spheres you're using is really such a... good...tactic... shit." Naruto's voice trailed off as the shattered pieces of Ultear's Lacrima floated before his eyes, the shinobi cocking his head to the side as he watched the destroyed sphere swiftly piece itself together once more. As the final crack on the lacrima's surface vanished, the floating orb raced towards it's master, hovering over the smiling woman's shoulder like a silent guard, awaiting it's leader's command.

"Oh, I don't think that's going to be a problem. For me, that is. _Hēkō Sekai._" Ultear raised her hands once more, another new swarm of crystals forming out of the first's shattered remains. Naruto swallowed loudly as he watched the swarm hover over his head once more, as if waiting for the shinobi to make a move.

**'Ok, so let's review what we know. Hordes of lacrima, they can home in on you, and she can restore them after they break... so, you done letting her use you like a punching bag so that you can figure out her skills?' ** Naruto smirked at his partner's banter, his eyes tightening as he waited for the swarms next move.

'Yep'

'So, are you gonna kick her ass now?'

'Maybe.'

**'Maybe? Why the hell not?'** Naruto tensed as the swarm advanced on him, his eyes darting back and forth as he watched each incoming spheres. **'Oi, don't ignore me. Oi!'**

Naruto's eyes flicked towards the west for a moment, a soft laugh his only response before the swarm of spheres crashed into the shinobi.

Ultear laughed loudly as the air became thick with shards of crystals, each of her orbs striking the still man and shattering into a storm of razor sharp fragments. As the barrage tapered off, Ultear shook her head sadly at the blood soaked man that stood before her, the blonde struggling to remain standing before her. Ultear felt a sliver of admiration that Uzumaki had still not fallen, despite his blood loss and the obvious pain that he was feeling, but this was soon quashed at the contempt she felt for the supposedly 'powerful mage'. "I'm thoroughly unimpressed, Uzumaki-san. I expected you to put up..." Ultear's voice trailed off as the wounded blonde was obscured by smoke, her eyes widening moments later as a heavily damaged log fall to the ground. 'What in the world..."

"All hail the Log, may it always protect you in your time of need." Ultear spun around, her eyes scanning the dark forest as she tried to find the voice that had spoken but it was in vain as the words echoed throughout the forest, preventing her from pin pointing Uzumaki's location. "You know, as a kid I never paid any attention to Iruka-sensei when he would say that, I always thought he was slipping something in his coffee. Anyways, good luck finding me, I used to hide from stealth and infiltration experts for fun when I was a kid. They never caught me unless I let them, so I really don't think that you have a chance."

Ultear's eyes narrowed as she backed away slowly, her orb returning to her side obediently as she calmly studied the forest surrounding her once more."You know, I'm starting to feel more comfortable with the idea of killing you, after all you did participate in a plan that almost incinerated my family."

"Hmmm, it seams that you do have a modicum of skill at hiding, but if that's all you're good for then I'm afraid... GAHHH! Screaming in pain, Ultear gingerly reached for her now burning shoulder, waves of agony rapidly spreading from the wound down the dark haired woman's arm threatened to send the dark mage crashing to the ground. Ultear's lips trembled as her hand grasped the cold steel that had pierced her skin, her vision swimming at the intense pain she was feeling from the single wound. Gritting her teeth, Ultear pulled the object free, her eyes widening at the dagger in her palm. Ultear's study of the weapon was interrupted by another sharp wave of pain, a sweating Ultear biting back the scream that threatened to pass her lips as she clapped her hand over her throbbing shoulder once more. Breathing raggedly, Ultear tried to ignore the feeling of blood seeing through her hand as she scanned the forest for her opponent. As she failed to locate the man, Ultear pulled her hand away from her throbbing shoulder, the dark mage staring in surprise at the amount of blood dripping from her fingers, her breathing growing ragged as she felt a sliver of fear growing in the pit of her stomach.

"Yes, yes... that's it, feel the fear, feel the helplessness. Don't worry about the pain, it's just a byproduct of the poison my weapons are coated in. Completely non lethal, you'll be fine in a day... that is, if you have a day left. Now, be a good little girl and run, it's so much more sporting when prey feels that they have a chance!" Ultear spun towards the forest, her legs pumping furiously as she raced deeper into the wood, her steps shadowed by a high pitched laughter from the man nipping at her heels. Ultear cried out in shock as she felt a featherlight caress on her cheek, followed by the feeling of warm blood as it ran down her cheek. As the wound burned and throbbed like her shoulder, Ultear crashed through the underbrush in her haste to escape her pursuer. "You know, where I came from, it was so hard to face the constant death that was part of our culture. So after a while, instead of fighting against it, I learned to embrace it. And do you know what happened? My mind snapped! I became someone else when I had to kill! I became death incarnate and nothing could stop me, friend and foe were all equal in my eyes! Nothing more that cattle for a butcher! And I have you to thank for waking that part of me up. So please, have fun entertaining my other half... Menma." Ultear swallowed thickly, her fear bubbling up in her stomach as the dark mage raced deeper into the forest, her mind racing as she hoped that she could make it to the rendezvous in time.

* * *

><p><strong>'BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, oh, this is priceless, kit, absolutely priceless. So, when do I get to drive?'<strong>

Naruto chuckled internally as he continued to follow the path of the frantic woman on the forest floor, her once confident demeanour having been shattered at the blonde's words and actions as she raced deeper into the woods. 'Soon, we just need to get a little closer. After all, we still need to involve all the other participants in this little drama.'

Flashback – A few minutes ago

Naruto eyes flicked towards the west, the shinobi forcing himself not to smile as chuckled mentally. 'Well, well, she's not alone.'

"**What, where? I don't... oh, there they are, they just got in range. But how can you be sure they're working together?'** Naruto slid back into his inner world, his deadpan gaze focusing on Kurama as he folded his arms over his chest.

'They're in the middle of the forest, at night, just sitting there. What else do you think they could be?"

"**...Good point. So, how do we handle this? Kick all of their assess and bring them to the council?" ** Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, a soft hum the only sound that passed his lips as he considered the situation and what the pair's next course of action should be.

"We could do that... but I have a better idea. Feel like driving for a while?" Kurama blinked slowly as he studied the grinning man at his feet, the mountain sized biju's lips pulling back in a wide smile, revealing a fang filled maw as the being of chakra put two and two together.

"**Oh...oh, I like that idea. Yes, I think that it is time for me to do a little driving, after all I think it's been much too long since someone trembled in fear at the presence of the Kyubi no Kitsune." **

Naruto nodded as he stretched his arms over his head, a self satisfied sigh escaping his lips as he grinned at his partner. "Well, I better get out there and set this whole thing up. Looks like I'll be able to catch up on my reading after all."

End flashback

Naruto grinned at the sight of the terrified woman running below him, the shinobi crouching on a branch amid the shadows. 'And that should be good, it's all yours Kurama.' Naruto felt a pull on his mind and soon he was inside of his inner world once more, an inner world that seemed very different without the normal company of it's mountain sized occupant.

'And now comes the fun part... keeping myself occupied while I'm stuck here.' As Naruto walked towards Kurama's normal sleeping area, the ground beneath the shinobi shuddered softly as the dank cave was replaced by a moonlit hill.

"Huh... this is new. Well, at least I'll be comfortable."

* * *

><p>Kurama breathed the night air deeply, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips at the sensations coursing through him. <strong> 'It's been a while since I've felt the wind against my face or seen the moon and stars over my head. I can't even remember the last time I chased down a helpless 'rabbit' as it scurried through the forest. Damn... I really do miss my old body.'<strong>

'Sorry, wish I could help you there, furball.'

Kurama chuckled darkly, the sound rumbling deep in his chest as he watched Ultear fleeing towards her comrades. ** 'No, it's alright, kit. With all the changes you've gone through as my container, you've almost as good as my old body... cept the being so small part. I see you've been tapping into my bloodlust, using it to raise our 'rabbit's' fear to even greater heights of fear.'**

'Of course I did, there's nothing like getting blasted by your killer intent to make a hardened warrior piss his pants in fear... but don't you think you'd better catch her? She's getting away.'

**'Oh no... no no no... she thinks she's getting away.' ** Kurama smirked evilly as he waited till Ultear passed from sight, the Biju crouching on the large bough he was standing on. A dark chuckle escaped his lips as he watched Ultear race through the forest, the terrified girl no longer concerned at staying silent or hidden. **'Now, watch me take her fear to an even greater height. Hehehehe...'**

* * *

><p>Ultear's ragged gasps for air echoed in her ears, her back firmly pressing against a tree trunk as she tried to catch her breath after her headlong sprint into the forest. As she remained still, Ultear waited for any sign of her pursuer. Several minutes passed in silence, the dark mage breathing a soft sigh of relief. 'I think I lost...'<p>

"**Ultear."** Ultear froze at the sound of the voice, her lips trembling at the deeper timbre told her that something about the blonde had changed. **"Oh Ultear, where have you gone?"** Swallowing softly, Ultear looked around the edge of the trunk she leaned against, her eyes catching her pursuer as he stood in a shaft of moonlight. Ultear's fear grew as Uzumaki turned towards the hiding woman, the blood red eyes and thicker whisker marks plainly stating that something was very, very wrong. **"Now, don't be scared, I just want to get to know you more... 'intimately'. My dear, sweet, Ultear." **Ultear bit her lower lip, a fearful whimper threatening to escape from her lips as the blonde that had been dogging her steps laughed softly, the evil sound setting off another burst of fear that clawed at her sanity once more. Ultear's breath came in shallow gasps as a heavy weight fell upon her, the oppressive sensation nearly sending her running in fear once more.

"ULTEAR! WHERE ARE YOU! GET OUT HERE, YA BITCH!" Ultear nearly cried in relief, the familiar sound of Zancrow's shouts echoing throughout the forest telling the woman that she had made it to the rendezvous point. Pushing herself off of the tree, Ultear looked back towards her pursuer, but all that remained of the blonde was the pale moonlight that had illuminated the young man. Ultear took a shaky breath, wondering where the young man had gone when she felt a breath of warm air against her neck. Lips trembling, Ultear froze as she felt a roughly calloused hand caress her cheek softly, a soft hum of contentment causing the woman's fear to spike to new levels.

"**Your skin is so smooth, so soft... I'm going to enjoy this."**

* * *

><p>Zancrow narrowed his eyes in irritation, the psychotic Fire God Slayer wondering how he got chosen to be a glorified gopher. 'Where the hell is that bitch? We should already be gone by now, she's late!"<p>

"Ultear will come, just be patient, Zancrow." Looking over his shoulder, Zancrow growled softly as he watched Azuma, practitioner of Great Tree Arc magic, resting comfortably amid the boughs of a large oak.

"Ultear will not lose to the trash that the council uses." Zancrow growled softly as he focused on the bland features of the youngest of the Kin of Purgatory, Meredy. Growling angrily, Zancrow ran his hands through his wild mane of hair before he turned towards the dark forest.

"ULTEAR! WHERE ARE YOU! GET OUT HERE, YA BITCH!" After several moments of silence, Zancrow turned back to his companions, the God Slayer falling to the ground in a heap. "Damned woman is not where near here probably..."

A high pitched scream interrupted the crazed God Slayer's ranting, the three members of Grimoire Heart turning towards the shrill sound. Azuma landed heavily on the forest floor, his eyes narrowing as an evil laugh followed the shrill scream of terror. "Quickly, something is wrong."

Zancrow sighed loudly as he stood up, his hands brushing dirt form his clothes as Azuma and Meredy raced into the darkened forest. "Well then... how about a little light? AHAHAHAHAH!"

* * *

><p>Kurama grinned evilly as Ultear spun away from him, the frightened woman falling to the ground in a heap as she stared at the biju contained fearfully. <strong>"Excellent, your fear is intoxicating. Now, let me have a taste of what else you have to offer me, my dear."<strong>

Eyes widening, Ultear tried to run but it was too late, Kurama was already on top of the struggling woman. A gentle caress of her neck started a new round of screams, the sound causing Kurama to chuckle softly as the sound of Ultear's fear echoed in his ears. "**Yes, good... and soon you'll know what true fear is, I guarantee..."** Kurama's voice trailed off as a loud groaning sound echoed throughout the forest, the biju scanning the darkened forest slowly.

'That doesn't sound good.'

**'Yeah no shit, Sherlock.' **

'Well you better be careful with my body, I still expect to get a lot of use... TREE!' Kurama heeded his partner's warning, the Biju skidding across the forest floor as he dodged a massive wooden fist. Blood red eyes narrowed in irritation as Kurama looked towards the newest arrivals, both a large well built man and a pink haired child that raced towards the still trembling Ultear.

"**Well, it seems that there were more of you here in the forest. How convenient... for me."**

"_Enjin no Dogō!" _Kurama's eyes widened as he saw another blonde before him the crazed look in his eyes never wavering as he breathed an enormous fireball of black flames towards the biju. As the ball of flame drew closer, a chuckle passing the Biju's lips before he was fully engulfed in the dark blaze.

"**Heh, flames. Cute."**

* * *

><p>Zancrow cackled madly as he watched the forest burn before him, his arms outstretched as he revealed in the death of another human being. "YES! Burn, burn so that all may learn to fear the power of Grimoire Heart!"<p>

Meredy ignored her insane teammate, the normally stoic girl focusing on the still trembling Ultear on the ground. "Ultear, he's gone, nothing could have survived that. Lets get you back to Master Hades, the airship is nearby." As Ultear shakily rose to her feet, she looked at the blaze before them, the fear in her eyes slowly slipping away as she watched the forest burning.

"Yes... thank you, Meredy. Let's go..."

"**Home? I think not. Not until I've taken what I want."** Ultear paled as she saw a virtually unharmed Uzumaki walk out of the roaring flames before her, her hand holding onto Meredy's forearm painfully.

"No... no! How do you still live?" Ultear watched the feral looking Uzumaki yawn loudly, a bored look appearing as he idly scratched his cheek.

"**Flames don't work on me anymore. Lets say that the element of fire and I have an... understanding."**

'As in, when you're driving, your chakra takes over and you're immune to fire.'

**'Details, details, they don't need to know that.'**

"Impossible!" Kurama looked over at the crazed blonde gobsmacked expression, a smirk appearing as he took in the man's appearance.

"**Well, what do we have here? Another flame brained idiot that doesn't seem to be able to burn down what he's aiming at?" ** Kurama paused for a moment, a thoughtful expression appearing as he looked towards the two young women before him. **"Hmm, now I have two playmates... well, hello. Little girl's shouldn't play with knives, they could get hurt."** Kurama laughed softly as he studied the pair of azure blades laying against his neck, each blade poised to sever his jugular with the slightest movement.

"You will not harm Ultear again. For what you have done to Ultear, you have become number one. I will kill you, right now." Kurama threw his head back, a crazed laugh passing his lips as he faced his demise at the hands of a small girl.

Meredy closed her fist, the small girls magic blades slicing through the Biju's neck like a hot knife through butter. Several moments passed as Kurama fell to the forest floor, his body laying still as blood pooled around his head. Ultear took a shuddering breath s she leaned against the smaller Meredy, her eyes focusing on the dead man. But as she was about to turn away from the sight, the remaining flames burned bright enough for the Arc of Time user to see something that brought all of her fear back with a vengeance. It was a simple twitch of his fingers, but after all that Ultear had seen it was more than enough to know that the blonde was still alive.

"No," Ultear said ,her head shaking back and forth as she watched the supposed corpse slowly rise once more. "No, that's impossible! What does it take to kill you!?"

Kurama sighed as he cracked his neck loudly, the gashes that Meredy had cause swiftly fading as the skin sealed shut. Every member looked at the feral looking man, the blood streaking his face making him seem even more demonic as he stared at his opponents. "Y**ou know, no one has even been able to find out exactly what that would take." Ultear watched in surprise as the blonde adopted a thoughtful pose, his hand stroke his chin as he hummed softly. "I've been stabbed, poisoned, had my neck broken, I even has someone shove a lightning shrouded fist through a lung, that was a good try but it still failed... crushed, choked, eviscerated, someone even cut the veins leading to my heart and even that failed... this could take a while, so let's just skip it and say no one's managed to come close to killing me yet. And the people I've fought have been very, very inventive."**

"_Tawā Bāsuto!_" Kurama growled loudly as he was engulfed in a tower of flame, his arms protecting his face from the unexpected detonation. Azuma strode in front of Meredy and Ultear, his hands clenching as he faced the feral blonde. "Run, I'll keep him occupied."

"And I'll help! This bastard needs to learn to fear Grimoire Heart!" Zancrow's hands were wreathed in black flames, a mad cackle escaping his lips as he stared at the growling Kurama.

"No, I will deal with him. _Rensa Mahō, Amaterasu Hyaku Shiki._" Kurama growled as glowing chains pinned the Biju to the ground, the ancient being thrashing about as he had flashbacks of his previous container. A glowing seal flared to life under the pinned Kurama, the kitsune narrowing his eyes in annoyance as the darkness of night gave way to the brightness of day.

**'Huh, looks like the boss came out to play. This is gonna hurt, isn't it?'**

'Yep. I guess you'll be getting that 'worst case scenario' you've been begging for.'

* * *

><p>All of the Kin of Purgatory watched as their master, Hades, unleashed his awesome powers against the unstoppable blonde, his body vanishing in a burst of light. Hades scoffed at the forest before him was flattened, a shockwave tearing unimpeded through the dense forest. Turning back towards his underlings, Hades shook his head in disappointment. "Four of you were not able to stop a single mage from Fairy Tail? I wonder if I have made a mistake in choosing you all as the strongest mages in Grimoire..."<p>

"**Oh don't say that, they really don't have a chance against me. See, I just keep going and going and going... it's kinda nuts really, wanna see what I do to people that hurt me as badly as you did?"** Hades arched an eyebrow, the tall man looking over his shoulder at the heavily panting blonde. Red energy bubbled around his shaking body, the majority of which were covered in serious burns, if the skin remained at all. But all too soon, the burns faded as new skin forming to replace the old, the blondes muscles and bones fading from view as new skin stretched over his powerful frame.

Hades studied the panting man before him, a smile appearing as he held his hand out once more. Chains flew towards the panting man once more, binding him completely as he was pulled towards the master of Grimoire Heart. "You interest me, I think that I will enjoy studying you and your magic."

Kurama opened his mouth to offer a retort, but it was too late as a sharp blow to the blonde's neck, the biju falling to ground in a heap. Throwing the sleeping man over his shoulder, Hades turned towards the waiting airship. "Let's go. We have much to do and little time to accomplish it."

Several days later

Mirajane sighed happily as she laid eyes on the newly rebuilt guild hall, her gaze soon shifting towards her companions. "We're back, finally. Let's go see if Naruto's come home yet."

Erza nodded happily, a motion mirrored by a smiling Lucy. Both Gray and Natsu tried to look nonchalant, but everyone knew they were just as worried that the blonde hadn't come back after the tower had been destroyed. After the group had finished cleaning up the Tower of Heaven disaster, they had waited two days without word from the blonde before deciding to return home, in hopes that Naruto had already done so. As the quintet entered the guild hall, a chorus of greeting met their entrance.

"MIRA! ERZA! You're back!"

"LU-CHAN!"

"Aw hell, Natsu and Gray are back. There goes the neighbourhood..."

"OI!" Natsu stood on top of the nearest table, flames spewing from his mouth as he growled at the gathered mages. "What kind of greeting is that for someone coming home, HUH?!" Natsu was so intent on yelling at his fellow Fairy Tail members that he missed the large hand that raced towards him.

"NATSU, STOP CAUSING A RUCKUS EVERY TIME YOU COME HOME!" Natsu screamed in pain as he was slammed into the ground, the entire guild laughing at the Dragon Slayer's antics. Erza smiled happily until Makarov approached the returning group, a a stern expression replacing the old man's normally carefree countenance.

"Master? What's wrong?" Makarov shook his head sadly in response to Erza's question, the old man focusing on a very still and silent Mirajane.

"Mira..." Makarov's voice failed him, a look of anguish briefly appearing as he pulled a cloth wrapped item from his jacket.

"No, Master, no..." Mira sank to her knees, tears forming as she held her hands out for the item, the old man sniffing loudly as he gently placed it in Mira's hands. Tears slipped unbidden down Mira's cheeks, her fingers trembling as she slowly removed the cloth. The sight of the familiar silver plate of metal, mixed with dried blood, broke Mira's restraint. The take over mage crying freely as she cradled Naruto's Fairy Tail forehead protector to her chest, the sounds of her grief halting all conversation in the guild.

"Mira, they only found this, there's still a chance that he's alive. The council has sent out several teams to search for him, and several members have already left to search for him. We'll find him..." Makarov's voice cut off as Mira pulled the old man into her arms, the Master holding the sobbing girl in his arms as the rest of the guild bowed their heads, each of them praying for the safe return of their comrade.

Meanwhile...

Kurama groaned softly, his eyes fluttering weakly as his consciousness returned. ** 'Hate... that seal...'**

Naruto chuckled softly, understanding exactly what Kurama meant. 'Well, it was either the seal or we see how long it would take for them to knock you out. And with you regenerating everything they threw at you, I'd say that would've taken a long time to happen.'

**'True, true... how long have I been out? And you do know Mira is going to kill you, more than likely, when you go back, right?**

A sigh echoed through Kurama's mind before the shinobi responded. 'Three days. And yes, she's gonna be pissed at me about this one. I'll just have to dig really deep and make it up to her. Hey, that means I finally have a good use for all that money I've saved up!'

**'Hmmm, good point. Now, where... wait, why can't I move your arms or legs?'**

'Look down.' Kurama opened his eyes, squinting at the bright lights shining down on his prone body. As the biju lifted his head, he saw that he was strapped into some kind of full body restraint, his arms and legs not even moving an inch as he strained against his bonds.

**'Huh, I see we made an impression on them. Not that it'll do them a lot of good, you've been busy I see!'**

Naruto laughed loudly, the blonde prankster understanding exactly what Kurama was referring to. 'Of course! Since they think we're helpless in these restraints, it's the perfect time... oh look, you have a visitor!'

"Ah, awake at last. Very good, I hope the accommodations are to your liking?

Kurama flexed his muscles briefly, the Biju nodding slightly as the restraints refused to budge an inch. Looking towards the visitor, Kurama smiled broadly before he laughed. "**I've lived in worse. Not exactly a 5 star establishment, is it?"**

"Cute. Very well, then maybe you can explain to me why I cannot find a single trace of magic in your body?" Kurama looked towards the speaker, the familiar sight of Hades bringing a smile to the Biju's lips.

"**Clean living, you should try it sometime, old man."**

Hades shook his head, a smile appearing as his hands rose over of the restrained blonde. "Ah, wit, how droll. Now, lets find out what exactly makes you tick,shall we?"

* * *

><p>And... cut. Now hows that for a new path? So, the usual, read and review please. Till later<p> 


	13. Chapter 12

Yo, welcome to the latest chapter. I know some of you have been waiting for this, so let's just dive right in. Read, review, you know the drill.

* * *

><p>Kurama groaned softly, his borrowed head pounding as his consciousness finally returned. <strong> 'Ugh, your body is too squishy, kit. I should have been able to stand more punishment than that before I was knocked out.'<strong>

'Dammit, stop encouraging them to torture my body! At least stop telling them to the best ways to torture you! I want still use my body when we get free!'

Kurama scoffed lightly, his blurred vision finally clearing as the biju senses felt a closing presence, the blonde's lips curling back ina grin as he felt Ultear drawing closer to his cell. **'Idiot, I'll heal all of this almost immediately. You'll be fine...'**

'What if they start cutting off body parts cause of your stupid comments, huh? We don't know if they'll grow back or not!'

Kurama stared at the door expectantly, his terrifying grin startling the Arc of Time mage as she entered the small cell. **'Sorry, kit, I ain't got nothing for that one. Also, time to act the part of a psychotic killer again, Ultear-chan's back.' ** Kurama ignored the indignant shouts from his container as he focused on the real world, a soft laugh passing his bloody lips at the nervous woman standing before him.

"**Ah, the little mouse has returned again, did you miss me? Maybe you'd like to go on another nighttime chase, after all our last one was so rudely interrupted."**

Ultear's gaze narrowed as her fist lashed out with a powerful right hook, the blonde's head snapping to the right from the heavy blow. Blood dribbled from the biju's split lips, but Kurama's only response was a soft laugh, his eyes focusing on the furious glare Ultear aimed at him.

"**Well, I can see you're still a little miffed about that. I can relate, if I had someone scaring the shit out of me then I'd be wanting a little retaliation myself. Go ahead, get it out of your system, girl. After all, you've seen how effective it is to hurt me over the last... how long have I been here?"** Kurama grinned at the annoyed growl from Naruto, the biju watching the muscles in Ultear's jaw clench as she struggled to control herself at the sight of the blonde's lips swiftly sealing shut, the blood covering his face the only sign he had been injured.

"I'd be more careful in provoking Ultear. She just may kill you for what you put her through a month ago." Kurama watched as Hades entered the cell, his eyes narrowing as he studied the man standing over him.

"**A month, you say? Have I really been here that long? Wow, time sure does fly when you're surrounded by evil megalomaniacs that are hellbent on trying to make you suffer."** Hades chuckled softly, the tall man crouching before their prisoner as he studied the bloody man's face intently.

"Are you finally ready to tell us what we want to know? Your abilities are astounding, yet I can't find a single shred of magic in your system. You, my boy, intrigue me. Tell me what I want to know and I'll end your life quickly." Kurama laughed softly as he spat a wad of blood on the floor, his lips pulling back and revealing a wide grin.

"**Eat shit and die, asshole." ** Hades gaze hardened immediately, his hand rising up as he pointed a finger at the bound blonde.** "Ah dammit, that's gonna stINGGG! OWWW, YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" **Kurama growled loudly as a thing stream of smoke lazily rose from his forehead, the smell of burned flesh tickling the bound blonde's sinuses. Hades shook his head in wonder as he watched the burned skin on his forehead rapidly healed, the blister soon fading to reveal the pink, flawless flesh below. **"You do know I'm keeping track of everything you're doing, right? They say that payback is a bitch and trust me, I know from experience that it's true."**

Hades laughed loudly, the whited hair man standing once more. Shaking his head in amusement, Hades walked towards the cell door as Ultear dutifully trailing after her master like a chick following it's mother. "Yes, I'm sure that there is so much that you can do while bound and incarcerated in the middle of our guild. We'll be sure to send your corpse back to Fairy Tail after we've finished with you."

Kurama growled softly as the pair exited his cell, the door slamming shut violently. As the lock cycled closed, Kurama strained his ears and listened as the pair of footsteps steadily left this section of the building, a grin appearing as Kurama chuckled softly. **'Fool. He has no idea what he's in for.'**

'How many did you get out that time?'

**'Heh, an easy dozen. Which means that we've hit the target for the final group.' **Kurama's eyes slid shut as he reentered the seal once more, his eyes focusing on the changed landscape surrounding the relaxing blonde. **"Hmmm, I like it, I think we'll keep this after we switch back." **

Naruto grinned as he rose from his seat under a tree, his eyes looking up at the towering form of his oldest companion. "So, think we've given them enough time to feel overconfident yet?"

Kurama closed his eyes for several moments, the sound of a soft hum reaching Naruto's ears as he awaited his partner's response. "**I'd say that we're at the bare minimum for that, it'd be better to wait another month or so. But..."**

"But?"

Kurama's head slowly swivelled until he faced the seated Naruto, his eyes hardening as he stared at the laid back young man. ** "Do you really think Mira will be happy that you'll be missing for that long? Not to mention the shit we're in for the month we've already been here."**

"Yeah...lets not mention that. We'll be done in two more weeks, tops. "

Chapter 12

One week later...

Fairy Tail, the most prominent Guild of Fiore. Home to legends in the magical community such as Gildarts Clive and Erza Scarlet. After the guild was reconstructed, the large castle like structure loomed over the bustling town of Magnolia, attracting even more attention to the famously rambunctious guild and the further insane actions of it's members.

However inside the guild was another story, the normally festive atmosphere more muted and quieter than was normal. Several groups hovered over a series of maps, their hands pointing out several locations in relation to a stack of jobs that were laid out over the table. At the bar, the familiar sight of Mira polishing a glass would lead anyone to believe that everything was fine with the young woman. But a closer look revealed the truth, Mira's normally bright eyes seemed distracted, her hands working automatically as her mind was occupied with something other than her job as a barmaid. A small hand reached out and pulled the glass from Mira's grasp, the young woman turning and looking at her current helper. "Laki?"

Laki smiled softly, her hands cradling the glass as she moved towards the cabinet behind the bar. "Thanks, Mira, I was looking for that. Hey, why don't you go and take a break? It's slowed down a lot since lunch and you look like you could use it." Mira nodded slowly, her dish towel falling from limp fingers as she slowly turned towards the kitchen. Every eye watched in silence as the once vivacious woman disappeared behind the door, the soft sound of it's closing prompting everyone in the hall to breath a sigh of relief.

Laki looked at the door for several moments before turning towards the others, her quick strides eating up the distance until she stood beside Alzack and Bisca. "Ok, so what's the latest news?"

Alzack pointed to several locations on the map, his voice going over each piece of information that was known at this time from their sources. "According to what Yajima-san and Org-san told us, Naruto ran into several members of Oracion Seis here. Several teams found the battle site and Natsu was able to confirm that Naruto had been there, but the site had been deserted for hours before we arrived. Afterwards he made his way here, to Era." Alzack shook his head as his finger traced a line towards the large forest surrounding Era. "And here we found a clear cut path of destruction until we reached the place where 'it' was found."

Laki looked up at the only physical item that had been on Naruto's person before he disappeared, his forehead protector. The blood that had soaked into the fabric had been cleaned away after they had verified it was Naruto's, the silver plate shining brightly as it proudly displayed Fairy Tail's guild mark. A loud scream of frustration caught everyone's attention as Cana threw her hand of cards into the air angrily, the leggy brunette rising swiftly as she glared at the fallen items angrily . Every eye followed the visibly angry woman as she stalked towards the bar, leaned over the wooden top and grabbed a bottle blindly. Cana savagely ripped the cork free with her teeth, taking a healthy swig of the powerful liquor before turning towards the rest of the guild. " A dozen readings, and every time the same DAMN THING! DAMN NARUTO AND HIS WIERD SHIT!"

Macao's eyes narrowed as he made his way towards Cana's fallen cards, his eyes taking in the results of the reading his friend had been trying to perform. "Magicians? I didn't think you had that many copies of a single card."

"I don't." All eyes looked at Cana in surprise, a slight blush rising as she felt everyone's stares focusing on her as the alcohol slowly ate away at her anger. "Something weird is going on, it's affecting my readings. It's almost as if we're not supposed to find Naruto right now."

Bisca looked towards the closed store room, her eyes softening as she placed a hand absently over Alzack's. "It doesn't matter, we're not giving up. We owe it to him, Naruto's always been there for us. Has there been any word from Natsu and Gray?"

* * *

><p>Mira leaned against the cool wood door, her ears picking out the conversation happening on the other side of the closed portal. 'They're trying so hard to not upset me. We've got some good friends... even Laxus.'<p>

Flashback – Four weeks ago

For the last week, many in the guild had been searching for their missing member with an almost single minded purpose. One had to admire their determination, but the stack of ever growing complaints from multiple officials finally forced Makarov to put his foot down. "Naruto wouldn't want you running around the countryside causing havoc an mayhem while trying and find him! Stop acting like stupid brats and do this intelligently or else the council will force you to stop searching!" And so it was decided that the majority of Fairy Tail would participate in their yearly traditions of Fantasia and the Miss Fairy Tail Contest, after which anyone on a job could take extra time to try and locate the missing blonde. "That blonde man-child would want us to do this, not just for ourselves but for the people of Magnolia." Several mages nodded their heads at their master's words, they had a responsibility to the townspeople to live up to.

And so the active searching for Naruto fell to the wayside, except for several members that were accomplished trackers such as Natsu and their newest member, Gajeel. But as per their Master's orders, even these diehard seekers were supposed to return for the yearly contest and parade, their despondent expressions communicating their lack of success to the others. Gajeel had returned just that morning, the Iron Dragon Slayer softly muttering to himself as he began tearing into a pile of iron scraps. "Gotta find that blonde bastard and give him the ass kicking he deserves..." No one had seen hide nor hair of Natsu yet, but they knew he would arrive some time soon.

Many had gotten into the festive atmosphere immediately, remembering happier times with friends and family as they prepared for the evening parade. But what had started out as a day to relax soon changed to pandemonium during the Miss Fairy Tail contest. With the revelation of Evergreen's return and the petrification of a shocked Lucy, the entire guild watched helplessly as the curtains were pulled back to reveal the sight of of the remaining Miss Fairy Tail contestants in the same straights as the blonde Celestial Spirit mage. Silence reigned as a bolt of lightning slammed into the stage, smoke shrouding the intruder for several moments as it dissipated. Soon three tall men joined the smug looking Ever, the members of Fairy Tail watching as one of their most powerful returned with his team.

Makarov was the first to recover, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the cockily grinning man before him. "Laxus?!"

"Alright you blonde bastard! It's time for you and me to settle... dammit, where the hell is he?!" Laxus frowned as he scanned the crowd before him, his expression swiftly growing angrier by the minute. "Jiji! Did you send that blonde asshole out on another mission?"

Makarov groaned softly, finally understanding what was causing his grandson's strange antics that day. "Dammit, I'm getting too old for this shit. Listen, Laxus, we really need to..."

"Save it old man, I've here on important business! Now, as i was saying... hang on a minute," Laxus paused in mid rant, his head swivelling around as he took in the sight of the petrified women at his back. Growling loudly, Laxus turned towards the smug looking Evergreen, lightning arcing across his body as he glared at his teammate. "EVER!" Laxus watched as Evergreen snapped to attention, sweat dotting her brow as her smug expression soon became apprehensive.

"Y-yes, Laxus?"

"You missed Mira! How could you let her escape, she's the one that Naruto'll do anything to save! You had one job to do, one job, and you messed it up!" Laxus growled angrily as he turned back towards the gathered members of Fairy Tail, his eyes sparking dangerously as he stared at the sea of confused faces before him. "Now, I'm going to give you all one chance..."

"Laxus?"

Laxus continued speaking, the only sign he had even heard Freed was the slight twitching of his jaw. "... as i said, one chance to tell me where Mira..."

"Laxus."

"...Grrr, where Mira and that Blonde ass..."

"Laxus!"

"WHAT, FREED, WHAT!?" Laxus angrily turned towards the ever calm Freed, his eyes sparking dangerously as the green haired man calmly pointed towards the bar. Laxus turned towards the indicated direction, his eyes focusing on the sight of Mirajane as she slowly polished a glass, her attention fully immersed in her task. "Oh... well... good job, Freed."

"Thank you," Freed paused for a moment as Laxus disappeared in a bolt of lightning, the S-class mage reappearing beside the distracted barmaid in an instant. "Laxus."

As the guild turned towards the bar, Laxus took a moment to studying the dull look in Mira's eyes as she distractedly continued to polish the glass in her hand. After several minutes of being ignored, Laxus raised his hand before Mira's eyes, snapping his fingers loudly in an attempt to garner the ivory haired woman's attention. The entire guild was standing back, their eyes focusing on the situation as Mira looked up from the clean glass, her somber gaze slowly focusing on the blonde's inquisitive expression before turning back to the glass in her hand. "Welcome back, Laxus."

Before Laxus could say a word, Mira turned away from the man, her hands slowly restocking the shelves of the bar as she continued ignoring him. "Jiji, what the hell happened to her?" Makarov sighed softly, his head shaking back and forth as he walked towards the bar. But before he could reach his grandson, the front entrance of the guild was violently kicked open, revealing a dusty Natsu as he carried a sleeping Happy through the wide open doors. Looking at the scene before him, Natsu blinked slowly, his gaze falling on the petrified Lucy. Natsu's confused gaze slowly shifted towards the three mages standing on the stage before finally landing on Laxus at the bar, the dirty Dragon Slayer turning back towards Makarov.

"Oi, when did we start ordering statues of the girls? You're gonna swell Lucy's head with that thing if she sees it. Oh, Raijinshū, Laxus, long time no see." Natsu made his way towards the bar, the silent guild members following his progress as he finally sat heavily on a stool, his gaze focusing on the distracted Mira. "Mira, Happy and I need some food... we're starving. We ran out during our search, I just need a quick meal and I'm on my way back out to look for Naruto again."

Laxus looked back at Makarov once more, his expression mirroring the confusion he felt in that moment. "Jiji, what is going on here? I spent months planning this out, making it look like I was an asshole," Laxus said, his eyes flashing dangerously as several member's swiftly stifled their giggles at his comments. "Tch, fine, I made myself look like more of an asshole than normal, are you all happy now? I had it all figured out, I was going to finaly get that blonde bastard to fight me with no distractions. I had plans for every contingency, Freed even had his runes plastered all over the town to make sure no one could interfere and this is what I get? What the hell, Jiji?!"

End Flashback

Mira grinned at the memory fondly, a sigh escaping her lips as she shook her head gently. 'Once he heard Naruto was missing, he forced Evergreen to turn everyone back, told the Raijinshū to stay put before he walked out of the hall.' Mira giggled softly at the memory of Laxus' loud cursing as he left the guild.

Flashback

"Stupid piece of shit rat bastard, getting captured like a little bitch! I'm gonna find ya, break you out myself and THEN kick your ass for ruining my plans to throw down with you! I'LL FIND YOU UZUMAKI, WHERE EVER YOU ARE! AND IF YOU'RE DEAD, I'LL FIND A WAY TO BRING YOU BACK AND THEN I'LL KILL YOU FOR ALL THE TROUBLE YOU'VE PUT ME THROUGH!"

End Flashback

Mira's soft giggles continued as her hand rose to her her eyes to brush away the tears that had been slowly gathering. 'It was almost as funny as what happened to Natsu when he was pulled off of the search to help with the Oracion Seis situation last week.'

Flashback – One week ago

"SCREW THAT, OLD MAN! I AM NOT..."

"NATSU!" Makarov instantly grew in stature, the old man towering over the seething Dragon Slayer as he tried to explain the importance of the mission he had been selected for. "This is a mission to take on Oracion Seis! They were part of what happened to Naruto, they may have answers regarding his whereabouts!"

"AGAIN, SCREW YOU, OLD MAN! I AM NOT GIVING UP ON THE SEARCH FOR NARUAAAHHH!" Gray and Lucy watched in wide eyed fear as Erza negligently backhanded Natsu into a wall, his rock hard head punching through the stone barrier with ease. Erza turned towards the others that had been selected for the mission, a dark aura surrounding the scarlet haired woman as she raised her fist threateningly.

"Does anyone else have any objections?" Several swift shakes of their heads later and Erza nodded happily as the remaining members of her team, a smile appearing as she went and effortlessly pulled Natsu from the wall. Lucy winced as Natsu groaned loudly, the stunned Dragon Slayer falling to the ground in a boneless heap. All eyes focused on a very happy Erza, the triumphant woman turning back towards Makarov once more. "We're ready to go, all objections have been resolved, Master."

End Flashback

Mira pushed herself away from the door, a sigh passing her lips as she gathered herself to go back to work once more. 'I'm sure you're not dead, but you're really pushing it this time, Love. Come back to me soon.'

Meanwhile

Evenings aboard Grimoire Heart's airship were a time for reflection, a time to wind down from the rigours of their daily lives... if you were part of the Seven Kin of Purgatory. The lower echelon's of the guild continued to work through the night on various tasks ranging from cleaning, piloting the airship to necessary maintenance needed to keep the marvel of magical engineering running at peak efficiency. As a young dark mage walked down a dark corridor this night, an uneasy feeling crept over him as he entered the sparsely populated engine room, the normally bustling section of the ship having been cleared out when the night watch took over.

Kneeling before an access panel, the young mage sighed angrily at the sight of the dead turbine, the heavy piece of equipment having failed earlier this evening just as the ship had arrived at it's latest destination. Reached into a pouch at his hip, the youth pulled out a set of tools that soon had the turbine's hatch was removed, his eyes focusing on a dark lacrima sitting in it's casing amid a bed of cables. "This is the third one this week, I've tried to tell someone that we're pushing the ship too hard, but does anyone ever listen to me?"

"Of course not, why would they listen to sound advice like that? You're a very intelligent young man, Shiro, after all no one seems to know these systems as well as you do."

A soft grunt was Shiro's only response as he stuck his head in the hatch, his hands deftly disconnecting the cracked crystal so that he could replace it. "That's right! So what if I don't possess an devastatingly powerful magic like the Seven Kin, my contributions are just as important! I'd like to see any of them keep this flying bucket of bolts aloft for more than a day without someone like me aboard... dammit, I need a file to clean out these contacts." Reaching for his hip pouch once more, Shiro blindly ran his hands over various tools, an aggravated growl passing his lips before he swore softly. "Shit, I'm missing my files, Now I'll have to go back... oh, thanks! That's just what I needed."

Shiro was a little surprised to see the exact tool he required appear at his side, but the annoyed young man was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Shiro grabbed the proffered tool and was soon clearing the damaged lacrima from the casing, his hand fishing the replacement crystal from one of his pockets. The new crystal was soon sitting in place of the damaged gem, it's magical energy powering up the turbine immediately. Pulling his head free of the hatch, Shiro looked up and was surprised to see the man who had assisted him holding out his hand. Taking the proffered hand, Shiro was immediately pulled to his feet, the young man looking up at the tall blonde that helped him in gratitude.

"Thanks, you just saved me a long trip back to my bunk." The tall man chuckled softly, his hand softly landing on Shiro's shoulder in a friendly manner.

"Oh, no need to thank me. After all, I was the one that removed them from your tool kit this morning. I did need you to finish the repairs, since I really have no idea how to fix this thing. Most people don't question good luck, they just accept it as it comes." Shiro looked up at the taller man, his eyes growing fearful as the blonde before him grinned broadly, his sky blue eyes reflecting his glee at Shiro's reaction. "Yeah, sorry 'bout this, but it's time for you to disappear. Wait a minute, screw that, I ain't sorry! After all, you assholes kidnapped me!"

* * *

><p>Naruto rested contently amid the branches of the lone tree that now decorated his mind scape, his breathing slowing as he remembered the forests surrounding the home of his youth. As the blonde's eyes slid shut, a burst of chakra pulled a soft laugh from the relaxing blonde, his eyes slowly opening before he reached out for Kurama. "Oi, Fuzzy," Naruto paused for a moment as Kurama appearing in the seal amid a burst of scarlet chakra. "Thought you'd like to know Parasite has completed their jobs and the packages have been handed off to the remainder of Jackass. All that's left is for Mischief to..."<p>

Kurama shook his massive head slowly, his clawed hand waving in front of Naruto. The blonde paused for a moment, his gaze narrowing as he waited for his partner to speak. **"Seriously? Where did you come up with those ridiculous names?"**

"OI! I worked hard on those!"

"**Heh, now we see why Mira's the real brains behind you two..."** Naruto growled loudly, his glare causing Kurama to laugh loudly. ** "Good to know we're on schedule, how much longer do you think we'll need?"**

Naruto stood up from his seat, his arms crossing against his chest as he considered all the variables he and Kurama were planning to use for their escape. "Maybe another week or two? Unless we... well hello, it seems we've found some unexpected help."

"**Hmm?"** Naruto laughed loudly, his hands rubbing together as he looked at his partner.

"Oh, you're going to love this."

One week later

"This is unacceptable. How could our predecessor's have allowed such a situation to occur?" Org closed his eyes in frustration as the eyes of all the new council members focused on him, his hands clenching into fists as he took a calming breath.

'Breath, they don't understand what was at stake. Just breath, they're all idiots that need to have it spelled out for them... this must be how Naruto felt when he had to deal with the last council.' Org felt a pang of regret as his thoughts focused on the missing blonde, the old man hoping that he hadn't seen the last of the Fairy Tail mage. Standing slowly, Org opened his eyes and glared at the newest chairman, Gran Doma, his confidence rising as he remembered the troublesome man that had saved his life several times over. "Uzumaki Naruto was given broad powers and authority for several reasons. He could back up his words with action, no matter what the circumstances may have been. When he was given a mission he completed it, no matter the difficulty. He also commanded the respect of all who spoke to him, meaning that he held sway over a large part of our Rune Knight forces due to the fact that he trained a significant portion of them. The council felt it more important to stay in his good graces than to antagonize the man, regardless of how certain members felt about him. With the rising number of dark guilds throughout the country, the council felt it best to use the resources we were presented with, in the name of securing peace for our citizens."

Murmurs broke out across the room, several councillors turning to each other as they deliberated over the information that was coming to light due to the restructuring of the Magic Council. Gran Doma scowled, his heavy staff rapping against the stone floor loudly as a signal of silence. "And just what does it mean that he is now missing? Your... 'free agent' appears to have gone missing, leaving a significant problem in the wake of his disappearance. Several members of the Rune Knights have abandoned their posts in search of this Uzumaki, leaving key area unprotected or understaffed."

Org reined in his anger as he rested his fists on the table, his white knuckles showing the willpower he was using to stay calm. "The officers in question were trained by the man personally, they were designed to be a unit, not to be broken up! What would you do in their situation? They looked up to Uzumaki as family, the only person they could trust! Most of the council wanted to banish them from the Rune Knights without even trying to help them, but under that man's tutelage they became a force to be reckoned with. "

"Regardless, we need to nip this in the bud, immediately! Insubordination cannot be allowed to occur in our forces, we must make an example of these officers!"

"We should make an example of his guild as well, Fairy Tail has been a loose cannon for far too long!"

"Hah, you old men wouldn't know what hit you if you tried to take down Fairy Tail. They'd bitch slap the whole lot of ya, then go drown themselves in booze to celebrate the victory." Each councillor froze at the young voice in their midst, their eyes locking onto the sight of a young man leaning lazily on the railing of the balcony that hung over their heads, the blonde grinning easily as he sat there looking at the new council.

"Naruto? You're alive?" Org watched as Naruto leaped from the balcony, the blonde landing lightly before he strode towards the silent council members.

"I'm just a clone, Org-ossan, but the original is alive. At least he still was when he created me... can clones live after the original dies? Can we take over his life, living for our progenitor in his absen... never mind, damned metaphysical tangents. So, this is the new council, eh?" 'Naruto' studied each of the seated mages for several moments before his eyes rested on the stern countenance of Gran Doma, the new Chairman glaring at the young man that had dared interrupt their meeting. "You're an even bigger group of ass hats than the last ones. Except you, Org. You're... ok, I guess?"

"Impudent child!" 'Naruto' cocked an eyebrow as he turned towards a furious Gran Doma, the chairman trembling in rage before he angrily slammed his staff into the ground. 'Naruto' nodded his head as saw a shockwave of pure energy racing towards him, his expression showing a hint of surprise at the actions the leader had taken.

"Huh, they actually chose someone with some balls this time." Shields of magic burst to life around the stunned councillors, their eyes widening as the blast of energy exploded violently as it reached the still blonde. Wide eyes stared at the cloud of smoke, each of the councillors looking for any sign of the impudent boy that had broken in.

"Wow, that's not bad for an old man." Silence reigned as the councillors saw a completely unharmed Naruto walk out of the dense cloud of smoke, his hands swiping at the dust and debris littering his clothes. "But as fun as all this posturing is, I came to drop off a small 'gift'."

"Chairman, we've got a situation out here!" Gran Doma looked towards the door to see a wide eyed guard, the man taking in the sight of the room before pointing fearfully at Naruto's clone. "Oh shit, there's more of you!?"

Gran Doma rapped his staff on the ground once more, the heavy strikes managing to attract the flustered guard's attention. "Sergeant, report!"

The sergeant swallowed loudly, his gaze shifting back and forth between the chairman and the grinning blonde. Bowing deeply, the flustered young man gestured towards the main entrance of the building. "Chairman, I think you should have a look, words fail to describe the..."

"Awesomeness."

"Awesom... er, I mean, the situation correctly." All the councillors glared at the now beaming blonde, his expression unchanging under the hostile looks.

"Trust me, you will want to see this. And yes, it is that awesome." Before anyone could say another word the clone burst, leaving a swiftly dissipating cloud as the only evidence that Naruto had even been there.

"Org," Gran Doma said, his eyes never leaving the spot that the clone had once occupied. "Go and see what this ruckus is about. Since you know this boy, his messes are now yours to clean up."

* * *

><p>Org slapped a hand over his face, a groan threatening to escape his lips at the sight before him. "Will someone please tell me what happened here?"<p>

Lahar calmly stood beside Org, the stoic captain overseeing the chaotic scene of several squads of Rune knights surrounding thirty bound and gagged mages, each of them bearing the mark of Grimoire Heart. "Naruto left you a letter, Org-san."

Org sighed as an envelope was presented to him, the old councillor pulling the note free and scanning it's contents quickly. Lahar watched as Org looked at the captive men, then back at the letter before returning his gaze to the captives once more. Handing the letter to Lahar, Org turned back towards the council chambers, his shoulders shaking for several moments before booming laughter echoed across the courtyard. Lahar watched in wide eyed shock as the normally gruff Org made his way back to the council chambers, his laughter echoing throughout the halls until he entered the council chambers once more. Eyes blinking rapidly, Lahar looked at the note in his hand, wondering what could have caused such a reaction.

'To the assholes of the council and Org, our little turncoat is a member of Grimoire Heart. I managed to catch their attention and have been locked in their guild for the last month or so. Here's a small gift of thirty of their members, if some of them are missing then the clones made a stop for some food, sleep, to take a leak... whatever, they'll all be there at some point. Anyways, I studied their daily habits before replacing them, so no one should realize they're missing until it's too late. I tried to grab the ones that seemed to have the most important jobs, you know like fixing the airship, cleaning out the latrines, stuff like that. I should be able to use my new found freedom to gather some information on these guys, that combined with whatever your interrogations turn up should give us an idea of what's happening. Now, I need to go and break myself out of prison... again. And don't tell Mira that I'll be home soon, I'll need some time to figure out how to make this up to her.'

Lahar shook his head in wonder, his hands swiftly folding the note before tucking it away for safe keeping. 'Only you, Naruto...'

Meanwhile

A lone pair of eyes steadily followed the current course of Grimoire Heart's airship, the terrain below the vessel providing ample cover for the scout. The dark haired woman stared intently at the ship, her eyes focusing on the large seal that spun slowly at the base of the ship.

"Any good news, Laeta?" The dark haired Laeta didn't even jump as she was joined by her commander, Maren, her swift nod soon followed by a string of rapid hand gestures that communicated her findings. "I see. Then we were right to stay here, it looks like this is one of their current staging areas. Does the ship ever land?" A single shake of Laeta's head was all Maren needed to know. Tapping the silent woman on her shoulder, the pair slowly backed away from the airship before it could draw any closer. "Ok, time to head back and tell the others that we've found the target."

After several minutes of silent travel the pair reached a clearing, their eyes noticing a slight ripple passing through the air. Striding forward, Maren never slowed as she passed through a barrier, her relieved sigh passing her lips as she spied a few of the girls keeping busy with various chores throughout their camp.

Elysia looked away from the fire she was tending, her gaze resting on the returning pair as she flashed them a grin. "Maren-chan, Laeta-chan, did you see it?" Just as Maren was about to answer, Candra stuck her head out of her tent, a hopeful look appearing as she ran towards the returning women.

"Is he there? Tell me he's not dead, cause even though he pisses me off like no other I... I couldn't ..." Candra's voice trailed off as Laeta placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, the mute girl winking before she walked past the fiery redhead. Moments later Aleta and Silya both passed through the barrier, the blue haired woman dropping her firewood she had been collecting at the sight of Maren and Laeta.

"Maren! Laeta!" Silya ran forward, her arms wrapping around both women in a tight hug. "Did you find it?" Aleta tried to appear nonplussed at the pair's return, but her furtive looks as she swiftly grabbing the fallen wood clearly showed her interest in their answer to Silya's question.

"We'll let you know in a moment, where's the last member of our little group gotten to?"

Candra nodded towards the barrier, her arms folding under her breasts as she sighed. "Perimeter check. We wanted to make sure there weren't any surprises in the area that we missed when we setup camp."

"And their weren't. We're clear." All eyes turned towards the newest arrival, each girl grinning broadly as a smirking Laxus walked into camp. "So, I take it from the happy expressions that you found the blonde bas..." Laxus paused at the low pitched growl coming from Elysia's throat, the Lightning Mage taking an involuntary step away from the glaring teen. "Buddy... yeah, our blonde buddy."

Candra smirked as she slid up beside the still Laxus, her elbow gently nudging the taller mage in a friendly manner. "Aww, is the big, bad, S-Class Fairy Tail Mage scared of a little girl? Hmm?" The rest of the girls dissolved into uncontrollable fits of laughter, a blushing Laxus brushing Candra's arm away from him before he strode past them angrily. Sitting down around the camp fire, Laxus glared petulantly at the laughing women as a faint blush stained his cheeks in embarrassment.

"Shut up, I still have bruises from when I first met her. Damn little girl packs a punch..." Maren shook her head as she took a seat, the rest of her group sitting around the campfire as they waited for their leader to share her news.

"Well, we've found the airship. Now just we need to send the signal and then wait for the fireworks. I have a feeling that Naruto won't disappoint us. Candra, Laxus, you're up" The two lightning mages gave each other sidelong glances before standing up, the busty redhead stretching languidly as Laxus pretended not to watch the way her uniform stretched tautly across her body.

"Well, Laxus-chan, time to watch a real Lightning mage at work."

Laxus let out a short bark of laughter, the tall man turning towards the edge of camp and walked towards the barrier. Just as he was about to pass through to the other side, Laxus looked over his shoulder at Candra with a devilish smirk. "Sure thing, I'll let you know when I see one."

Candra growled angrily as she chased after the laughing man, her comrades silently watching the pair disappear from sight before Maren decided to speak up. "Damn, they act like an old married couple."

Meanwhile – A thousand feet in the air

'Kurama, have you been hiding the fact that you're a closet masochist for the entire time we've been together? Cause that would explain so much!'

**'Oh come on, you act as if these guys can really hurt us! I've seen you go through worse beatings and for far stupider reasons throughout the years.' ** Kurama began laughing softly, a reaction that confused the half dozen members of Grimoire Heart currently beating on the bound prisoner. Hades had decided that Kurama's attitude could do with some adjustment, which led to the old man letting his guild members have free reign at attacking the bound blonde when not on duty.

'Oh bullshit! Name me one time when I let someone...'

**'Sakura.' ** Kurama tuned out the sound of the various low level mages surrounding him, his grin growing as his partner's silence was all the answer he needed. **'I rest my case, no further questions your honour.'**

'That does it, no more books that have court scenes in them.'

Kurama yawned internally, the biju wondering when Hades would show up for his daily taunting. **'The old fart's late, usually he's here by now...' ** Kurama's voice trailed off at the sound of a powerful boom, his bloody lips curling as he recognized the sound. **'Thunder.'**

'Yep, looks like their in position. T-Minus one hour. The boys should be waking up right about now.'

* * *

><p>Parasite-Leader was sleeping in his bunk when he heard the signal, a groan passing his lips as he swung his feet onto the floor. "It never fails, always when I'm sleeping." As the clone passed a hand tiredly over his borrowed face, he swiftly ran through the list of things that needed to be accomplished in the next hour. Pulling the sleeve of his away from his wrist, the clone tapped a swift message onto a seal inscribed on his wrist, the chakra matrix having been applied to the thirty other members of his command currently hiding throughout the ship. Each and everyone of them signalled back that they were ready for action, the brown haired clone grinning as he stretched his arms over his head.<p>

"I wonder how Mischief-Leader is doing?"

* * *

><p>The airship that Grimoire Heart inhabited was a marvel of magical engineering, the various spells and devices incorporated into it's design making it the most advanced airship in the world. But for all it's advances, there was still a glaring deficiency that had not been addressed in it's construction.<p>

'Every time I get onto one of these high tech transports, there's always tons of dark places for a saboteur to hide. Seriously, how hard is it to add some light to these spots, or seal them off?' Mischief-Leader was actually glad there were so many places that he and his squad could use, it meant that after they had finished placing their explosives they could sit back, hide and wait for the fun to start. 'After all, the boss may need a little help with this one.'

Forty five minutes later

Kurama was gasping for breath as his latest attacker pulled back, his breath passing his lips as heavy pants from the vicious beating he had delivered to the bound blonde. "So, have you got any other smart ass remarks to share with the rest of us?"

Kurama laughed softly, the blonde struggling against his bonds for a moment before looking up at the group of men standing before him. "**Yeah, I do. **All hail the log."

Everyone's eyes widened as they watched the captive's blood red iris' swiftly shift to sky blue, a soft laugh passing the blonde's lips as he was enveloped in smoke. As the smoke cleared it showed the young man had somehow escaped, leaving a large wooden log in his place. Said log was covered with multiple pieces of paper, all of which soon began to slowly burn. "What in the..."

* * *

><p>Candra and Laxus stood atop a tall cliff, the both of them focusing on the distant sight of the airship they were following. Laxus looked down at his shorter companion, his eyes briefly focusing on her cleavage before he forced himself to look at her face. "So, think he heard the signal?"<p>

Candra laughed softly, the redhead resting her hands on her hips while looking at Laxus from the corner of her eye. "I once tried to sneak up on Naruto-Sensei when he was sleeping in the middle of a party at the barracks, don't ask me how he slept through all that noise. Let's just say that it didn't work out exactly as planned. Also, my eyes are up here."

Laxus groaned softly as Candra giggled at his expression, the blonde man wondering just how she knew he had been looking in the first place. But before either of them could say anything else a powerful detonation tore through the side of Grimoire Heart's airship, several pieces of the magical craft falling heavily to the ground amid a plume of smoke that rose swiftly into the sky. "Well, looks like he heard it, time to give him what he asked for. _Rējingu Boruto_!"

* * *

><p>And... let's end it right there<p>

_Rējingu Boruto(Raging Bolt)_ - Laxus raises his clenched fist in the air and chants "_Resounding through the air, the roar of thunder, plunge from the heavens and reap destruction!_". A large bolt of lightning will then descend upon the target. I skipped the chant, sue me.

Yes, I love handing out cliff hangers. Could ya tell? Years of reading stories with cliff hangers has given me the urge to make my own!


	14. Chapter 13

Yeah, it's been a while. Sorry bout that, stuff happens in real life and well... that does take priority. So, before you get into the story, I'm going to address a few things from the last couple of chapter's worth of reviews that apparently people felt I'm doing wrong or that I'm doing something stupid.

_For the sake of the story, it makes sense to limit his over-powered modes, but I wish there was a reason for the seals to just show up like that_ - A reason will be revealed... later

_why the fuck are those two still playing weak, it really annoying. just put hades and grimoire heart in their place and be done with it -_ Right... so let me ask you this, if you were in charge of a military unit, or a group of police officers and you got wind of a plot, would you A)go and just kill/arrest the ones who you were told would be doing it, or B)find out who was working with them, did they have a fallback plan etc. Naruto is considered part of the leadership of the guild, he has to watch out for everyone there, so do you really think he'd just go and leave something up to chance when he had a perfect opportunity to learn what was going on?

_I really don't understand why he didn't just unleash a bijuu-dama when he woke up, and save everyone the time, energy and grief that he has caused_ - First, if you remember the beginning of the story, Naruto can't access his Jinchuriki powers on a whim. Second, see previous answer. Third... Since when does Naruto ever do the easy thing? Or slaughter tons of people for the hell of it?

_Cliffhangers don't work well in fanfiction that takes longer than a week to update. People who read FF generally follow dozens at a time, asking people to remember where they've been left off in the previous chapter/s is a big ask - _Uh huh, like it's any different from books, movies etc. All of them take a long time to come out, years usually and people either read/watch many of them at the same time.

I'm happy to say that during all of this I have received very few flames, which gives me hope that I'm doing justice to both of these Anime's... well, at least a little, lol. So, read, review and if there are enough reviews for this chapter I will write out Chapter 14 for this fic before switching back to my other one that's in the works.

* * *

><p><span>Grimoire Heart Airship - Main Bridge<span>

"Report, Captain." Rising quickly, the current captain of the of Grimoire Heart's airship towards the master of the guild as he entered the bridge. Swallowing loudly, the nervous man felt several beads of sweat forming along his brow as he stood before the powerful dark mage, his aura of power causing the small bridge to grow even more stifling by the moment.

"Master, there has been an slow increase in the ambient Eternano around us. I believe that we are being followed by several mages, what are your orders?" Hades stroked his beard slowly as he contemplated the captain's words, his gaze shifting towards the view of the clouded sky.

"Hmmmm, it is possible that someone has found us, but that is of no concern. We can easily locate these pests and..." Just as Hades was about to finish his thought, multiple voices shouted out across the bridge in a panic, the significance of each causing Hades to reexamine his earlier remarks.

"ETERNANO SPIKE!"

"Sir, I'm reading a massive buildup of lightning magic!"

"SHIT, BRACE FOR IMPACT!"

Hades watched in wide eyed fascination as a pair of massive lightning blots tore through the dense clouds, both of them swiftly racing towards the hovering airship. The tall mage gripped the handrail before him just as the dense blasts of elemental energy struck his ship, the complex magical craft wobbling dangerously as the spells keeping the craft in the air struggled to compensate for the influx of deadly magic. Multiple lights throughout the bridge soon began to flicker erratically as the primal magic destabilized several delicate spells and systems, the raw energy tearing through the airship's hull with ease before they both crashed into the ground amid a spray of stone and earth.

Hades shook his head in attempt to clear his vision, the bright flashes of lightning having overwhelmed his vision. The captain rose to his feet shakily, his hand gingerly probing at a gash that stretched across his forehead. "REPORT!"

The crew was in a state of panic as they attempted to figure out what kind of shape the ship was in, an almost insurmountable task with the number of systems and spells that had been disrupted by the attack. Hades stalked towards a wildly blinking console and slapped his hand on the device, a pulse of magic soon racing through the equipment throughout the bridge. Moments later the lights ceased their erratic flickering, the various mages throughout the bridge looking towards their leader in awe.

"This will not last forever, you slack jawed idiots! I need answers, Captain!" Each mage turned back towards their consoles, their hands swiftly flying over the controls as they tried to figure out exactly what had happened.

"Levitation spells are holding for now, but they're going to fail if we take any more hits like that..."

"We have breaches in several locations on the port flight pod, none of the major mechanical systems were hit but the energy surges are playing havoc with all most of the subsystems on the ship."

"Sir, Ultear-sama and the rest of the Seven Kin are requesting instructions!"

Hades shook his head as he listened to the list of damage his ship had taken, his anger slowly building at the temerity of the mages who had attacked his guild. Just as he was about to give orders for a team to locate the soon to be dead mages, the deck below his feet shuddered fiercely. Hades glared at the pale faced captain, his eyes swiftly scanning the information he was getting from the ship's systems.

"Master, a secondary breach has been detected. It... it wasn't from a lightning strike. The blast came from inside the ship."

Hades' gaze narrowed as he felt a feeling of resignation slowly growing at the captain's words. "Where did the explosion come from, Captain?"

"Aft section," The captain said, his tongue licking his lips nervously as he refused to meet the taller man's gaze. "Deck three... i-it's the dungeon, Master."

At those words Hades' hands tightened, a soft sigh passing his lips as he remembered the blondes words from several weeks ago.

Flashback

"**You do know I'm keeping track of everything you're doing, right? They say that payback is a bitch and trust me, I know from experience that it's true."**

End Flashback

"Oh that little bastard... he set us up."

Chapter 14

Airship Cargo Hold

Deep within the bowels of the damaged airship, a grinning Naruto finished doffing his long sleeved shirt as he stood amongst a group of his clones. Running his fingers of a seal he had inscribed along his forearm, Naruto nodded happily as his Sage bracer appeared, the blonde soon repeating the process on his other arm to release his Biju bracer. "Heh, that felt good. So tell me, how we doing?"

One of the clones stepped forward, a grin appearing as he took on of the leather bracers in his hand, his fingers deftly tightening the item around his creator's forearm. "Well, Boss, we managed to find quite a few weak points on the ship that we've covered with tags. The clones that are impersonating the crew are waiting for those to go off before revealing themselves, we're hoping that'll add to the insanity. There was a place on the lower decks that no one could get into, the Seven Kin were the only ones allowed there. A few clones are on their way now, maybe they'll have some good intel for us." As the clone began working on the Biju bracer, a sigh passing the original's lips. "Something wrong?"

"Nah, nothing really." Naruto said, a wry grin appearing as he watched his clone swiftly secure the bracer. "Just remembering that the last time someone helped me put these on it was Mira. I miss her, that's all."

Pausing for a moment, Naruto looked at his clone in confusion before the doppelganger gave his creator a devilish smirk. "Feh, I can solve that, one quick henge and bam, instant Mira!"

Naruto cocked an eyebrow as he studied the smirking clone for several moments. "Dammit, stop screwing around with me, ya bastard. After not seeing her for the past 2 months I'm liable to jump you the moment you transform."

"And?" Naruto looked at the grinning clone in shock, the chakra construct waggling his eyebrows as he continued his adjustments with the Biju bracer. "I'd still be you, just think of it as an elaborate form of mastur..."

"OK, LET'S GET BACK TO TAKING DOWN THE DARK GUILD." Naruto glared at the assembled clones as they began to snicker at his discomfort, a faint blush staining his cheeks while he donned his shirt once more. "Damned clones start acting weirder every time I use them... Alright, time to get all of ya in position, we're bringing down the heavy end of the hammer!" Each clone grinned as they swiftly vanished, the multiple shunshins throwing a storm of leaves into the air. Passing his hand over another seal slowly, Naruto raised his hands to his forehead with a nostalgic smile. Nimble fingers deftly tying the black cloth securely to his bare forehead, his fingers trailing over the familiar sign of his home once more. "Well, guess I'll use this for now, I'll need to get a new one with the guild symbol when I get home. Actually," Naruto paused for a moment, a grin appearing as he adjusted the worn forehead protector nostalgically. "I've kinda missed this old thing." One shunshin later and the lower level was empty once more.

* * *

><p>Laxus shook his head at the sight of debris from an explosion falling from the far off airship, a grin appearing as he watched the magical craft begin to list towards the ground. "Heh, between that and our barrage, there seems to be a slight malfunction on that ship."<p>

Candra huffed petulantly as she folded her arms against her chest, a pout forming as she studied the scene before her. "Damned Sensei, stealing all the fun... does he really expect us to wait here in case he needs help?"

Flashback

The lead clone of the transport group, Jackass Leader, shook his head in amazement at the sight before him. Laying his cargo on the ground gently, the clone couldn't help but marvel at the luck his creator had at the strangest time. 'After all, what else would you call it if you run into a group of your students and.. is that Laxus? Even better!' Walking towards the group, each of the girls smiled happily at the sight of their sensei, while Laxus was pouting at the sight of the blonde that approached them. Despite the distance between them, Naruto couldn't help but grin as his fellow member of Fairy Tail began to complain. "Stupid idiot, even when he gets captured he can't let us have any fun. He didn't even need to be rescued."

As Naruto stood before his delighted students and a visibly annoyed Laxus, a playful gleam appeared in his eyes. "You six sure are a sight for sore eyes! I'm gonna need you all to give me a hand with something, this'll be the biggest Dark Guild bust I've done yet so I may need some help." Naruto cackled internally as Laxus growled softly, the older mage not taking kindly to being ignored.

"Kono yarou..." Laxus angrily advanced on the grinning clone, the twitching muscles in his jaw clearly communicating his anger at being ignored, the much taller blonde towering over his grinning guild mate. Raising his hand over his head, a crackling orb of electricity rapidly came to life as he glared at the still grinning clone. But before Laxus could even think of releasing the attack, a small body slid between the pair of blondes, the normally happy go lucky expression that Elysia wore having shifted to a non nonsense glare that was solely focused on Laxus. Laxus' watched in wide eyed shock as her dainty foot lashing out at the taller mage with a swift crescent kick, the tall blonde trying to reign in his laughter as the girl's foot barely reached his chest, resulting in a soft breeze tickling his chin. Laxus felt his laughter slowly growing until a powerful blow slammed into his cheek, the shocked mage careening towards a dense copse of trees. Laxus' cries of anger and outrage were muffled by the sound of several trees snapping under the force of the blow that had sent him flying, the remaining women all whistling in admiration at the blow. The clone laughed loudly, his hand ruffling a beaming Elysia's hair affectionately as Laxus struggled to free himself from the fallen trees that had pinned him down.

"Nice, you remembered what I said about the follow through when you attack! And this is why I love ya, Elysia-chan, you actually listen to me! Now, back to the plan..."

End flashback

'The little bastard just needed us to let him know that we were in the area before he began his attack, just in case he needed backup. It makes sense, Grimoire Heart isn't exactly your run of the mill Dark Guild. Still, it's not fair that Naruto gets to hog all the fun.' Shaking his head slowly, Laxus raised his hands to the heavens once more, his actions attracting Candra's attention. "You're absolutely right you know," Laxus said, the sky over the distant airship growing violent once more as another blast of lightning slammed into it. "He's such an inconsiderate guy. But you know what? I think this plan of his calls for more lightning! After all, if I was trapped in a giant metal box and someone was taking pot shots at me, I'd definitely send someone out to stop him. We could consider it a... a form of payment. You know, for services rendered and all that."

Candra chuckled darkly as she raised her hands once more, lightning flashing over her hands once more as she studied the tall blonde out of the corner of her eyes. "You know what? I really like the way you think."

Airship - Main Bridge

Hades was about to order a complete search of his airship when another burst of lightning slammed into the vessel, one of the consoles on the bridge exploding violently as it's operator fell to the deck in a heap. Growling angrily, Hades stomped towards the communications panel, his hand swiftly opening a ship wide channel. "Azuma, Caprico, Rustyrose. Take a squad and locate the rats outside, show them what it means to attack our guild! All remaining members of the Seven Kin are to hunt down Uzumaki, I want his head on a platter! Bluenote... protect the vault at all costs, I wouldn't put it past our pest to know what it contains. All remaining members of the guild are to not engage the prisoner, take shelter because anyone found wandering the corridors will be killed immediately. I along with the Seven Kin will personally handle the situation." Flicking several switches, Hades opened a channel to the engine room, wanting to get a status report on the repairs that were surely underway. "Chief, status report!"

* * *

><p>The normally chaotic engine room was as silent as a tomb, the normally bustling members of the engineering detail apparently having something better to do than repairing the heavily damaged craft that they were inhabiting. A lone pair of footfalls were heard as a young man burst into the silent room, his expression contrite as he began to stammer out an apology. "I'm sorry, I was in the shower! I...I... oh this is bad..."<p>

"Chief, status report!" The young mage gulped loudly at Master Hades' booming voice, sweat dotting his brow as he neared the microphone.

* * *

><p>"M-master... um, Eng-gineer T-third Class T-t-tully, reporting in." Hades blinked at the response he received, his fists tightening as he attempted to reign in his anger.<p>

"Tully, is it? Where is the Chief Engineer?"

"Master, I, uh... I d-d-don't know. The engine room was ab-abandoned w-w-when I arrived, I'm the only one here."

* * *

><p>Tully swallowed nervously as he awaited Master Hades reply, the silence nearly suffocating the terrified crew member as it continued to stretch on. "You are the new chief. Gather anyone you can find and do whatever you need to do to keep us in the air."<p>

Tully swallowed nervously at the tone of Master Hades voice, the young dark mage having no problems hearing the fury that the older mage was struggling to control. "Y-yes, Master."

* * *

><p>Hades rose to his full height, the armoured mage turning towards the thick steel door that closed off the bridge from the rest of the ship. "RAAGH!" Sweeping his hand forward, a burst of chaotic magic slammed into the door, ripping the heavy steel hatch from it's hinges. Several mages on the bridge winced as they heard the sound of the steel portal slamming against the wall, their eyes focused on the sight of the furious Guild Master as he stormed off the bridge.<p>

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the ship

A blast of wind slammed into the unmoving Azuma as he opened an exterior hatch, the Great Tree Arc Mage's eyes tightening at the sight of the lightning storm surrounding the airship. Turning towards the team he had gathered, Azuma's gaze briefly passed over a dozen low level grunts before his gaze landed on Yomazu and Kawazu, their predatory grins eliciting a smirk from the powerful man. Caprico leaned against the far wall, his normal cool demeanour unchanged despite the current situation. Rustyrose smirked as he adjusted his glasses lazily, his hands sliding into his pockets as he waited for Azuma's orders. "You all heard the master, our job is to find the ones creating this storm. Caprico, Rustyrose and I will wait for your signal once they have been spotted. Do not attack them once they have been located, signal us and we will deal with our 'guests'. Yomazu and Kawazu will check the surrounding forest to make sure that they are alone, we cannot have any witnesses."

Caprico nodded slowly as he pushed himself off of the corridor wall, his hands stretching out before him as he clapped loudly, the dozen grunts disappearing from sight before he leaped through the open hatch, the powerful mage landing lightly on the ground. Another clap of his hands and the mages were free once more, each of them eagerly running off in an attempt to locate the ones that had been foolish enough to attack them. Caprico watched the last mage disappear into the woods, the Goat faced mage remaining still as he heard his underlings Yomazu and Kawazu land heavily beside him, the bestial pair racing forward as well to scout the area for any surprises. Caprico glanced to the side as a cloud of dust marked the arrival of Azuma, the tall mage landing amid a shallow crater. Rustyrose landed gently behind the duo, a pair of dark wings attached to his back soon fading as he looked towards the darkened forest that surrounded them.

"And now, we wait."

Back on the airship...

Hades sighed softly was he continued to stalk the corridors of the airship, his magical senses stretched to their limits in an attempt to locate their missing prisoner. 'It's as if he's disappeared, no one has run into him since his escape.'

As the old man approached the ship's extensive library he paused, his nostrils flaring as he smelled something burning. "Oh no..."

Flames exploded from the library's open hatch, the dense smoke that poured out of the room clinging to the ceiling while the numerous tomes packed into the room fed the conflagration. Hades growled angrily, his mind racing as he tried to come to gripes with just how much this prisoner was costing them in the end. As the old mage contemplated the blonde's upcoming demise, a piece of paper gently fell at the guild master's feet, his gaze narrowing once he saw his name scrawled on the errant sheet. Plucking the paper from the ground, Hades read the note swiftly, his face slowly shifting to red as his rage bubbled to the surface once more.

_Miserable Old Bastard aka Hades_

_Hope this stuff wasn't valuable... yeah right, I hope it was, serves you right you miserable old shit! Better come and find me before I destroy anymore of your ship!_

_Signed,_

_Kage_

* * *

><p>Meredy's normally passive expression belied determination in locating the escaped prisoner, her eyes shifting from shadow to shadow as she hunted the elusive blonde that had escaped their clutches. 'We will find that man... he's number one now, he dared to attack Ul, he deserves to die.'<p>

Kain, on the other hand, was trembling as he followed the short girl, his hands shaking at the thought of what could be lurking in the shadows. The large mage jumped at every errant sound that rang out within the heavily damaged ship, his brow soon becoming dotted with sweat as he felt as if hundreds of eyes were following his every move. 'W-w-where i-i-is that ba-bastard, he b-b-better show h-h-himself-f soon!'

As the two mages continued on their patrol, neither of them noticed a bright head of blonde hair appear over their heads. Grinning broadly, the clone studied the passing pair before deciding that it would be fun to ambush them. His chakra coated hands and feet glowing softly as he clung to the ceiling, the clone slowly approached the oblivious pair, his grin growing as he drew closer towards the unsuspecting pair. As he neared the mismatched duo, a smirk appeared as he began to file away all the information that their body language was communicating to the silent blonde.

'So, we have a little girl that is serious, determined, focused... and a grown man acting like a scared little child? Wait, the midget is less scared of me than a grown ass man?'

**'Well, you are my container, that immediately raises your level of... how did you put it, 'awesomeness'? By a factor of ten, at least.'**

Naruto chuckled under his breath as he sped up, his silent movements still passing undetected as he began pacing the pair once he was over their heads. 'Aw, that's the nicest thing you've ever said about me...'

**'Don't get a swelled head, ten times zero is still zero, kit.'**

'... Fuck you.' Naruto ignored the raucous laughter in his head, the shinobi pausing a moment as the mages softly argued about the direction they should take. The clone shook his head at their indecisiveness, the chakra construct deciding that it was time to announce his presence. Reaching into his hip pouch, the clone removed a small screw he had pocketed earlier, his eyes becoming mirthful as he stretched out his hand. Release the small metallic object, the clone watched the small object it fall to the deck, the sound causing both mages to freeze instantly. Both mages looked at each other for a moment, swallowing loudly before they shifted their gazes upwards, their eyes widening at the sight of Naruto grinning happily.

"Yo."

* * *

><p>"I don't see what all the fuss is about, he's just a shitty nobody from a shitty light guild, we shouldn't have a problem killing the annoying bastard. The second I see him he'll be nothing but ash!" Zancrow cackled madly as he stalked the corridors of the airship, his laughter trailing off as he turned towards his current partner. "Oi, Ultear, what's wrong? You aren't scared of this guy, are ya?"<p>

Ultear's eyes were scanning each shadow before her nervously, her hands twitching randomly as she finally met Zancrow's eyes. "Uzumaki is not like any other Light guild mage you have faced, Zancrow. He came to the council with an offer to hunt down Dark guilds, an offer that the council was more than happy to take him up on once Makarov agreed that he was uniquely suited to the task. He's taken out over twenty dark guilds in the last three years... all on his own. Org has been Uzumaki's only point of contact with the council, none of us knew the extent of his abilities except for him. He had a name for him, one that never made any sense to the rest of us. After all, why would you call a single man 'Legion'?"

"Feh, is that supposed to impress me?" Zancrow said, the psychotic blonde waving off the dark haired beauty's words. "Most Dark Guild's are unworthy of being called just that, their usually full of weaklings and rejects. You worry too much, Ultear. And as for this 'Legion' name, it's probably just some stupid bullshit to make him sound scarier for the weaklings that he hunted." Zancrow turned away from a silent Ultear, his psychotic grin returning as he began walking once more.

"Yeah, I thought Legion was a little silly sounding... maybe Swarm? Oh, how about Phalanx? Now that sounds cool!" Zancrow swiftly spun around, his eyes growing wide at the sight of a visibly trembling Ultear, the God Slayer's eyes focusing on the dark blade gently resting against her throat. Black flames exploded to life around the God Slayer's hands when a pair of glowing hands burst through the steel floor, the God Slayer looking at his feet in wide eyed shock as both hands latched onto his ankles.

"What the hell is... GAHHHHHH!" Ultear watched with wide eyes as Zancrow was dragged under the floor, dark flames bursting out from the hole as the sounds of battle reached the trapped woman's ears. "OH YOU BLONDE, FUCKING BASTARD! _ENJIN NO KAGUTSUCHI_! " A soft chuckle caused Ultear to tense up, a shiver running down her spine as she felt the man at her back tightening his grip.

"And that's why the call me 'Legion', cause where's there's one of me there's bound to be more. A lot more. Miss me, Ultear-chan?" Silence was the clone's only answer as Ultear looked over her shoulder, her eyes glowing ominously as the kunai at her throat crumbled into dust. An orb of lacrima slammed into the clone's nose, dispelling the construct and filling the corridor with smoke as Ultear raced down the corridor.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the ship

Pausing in mid-bite, Naruto pulled a kunai from his pouch and inspected the small knife for several moments for any flaws. "Hmmm, nope, they're perfect. Must have something to do with Ultear-chan's freaky time powers.'

**'You got overconfident, that's why she beat your clone.'**

Shrugging his shoulders, the blonde tossed the remains of a roasted chicken to the ground before swiftly grabbed several other delicious looking items before exiting the airship's impressive kitchens. 'Ah, now I'm full and ready to kick ass!'

As he continued towards the location his clones had told him about, the blonde shinobi paused for a moment as he felt a rush of new memories, a sour look appearing as he shook his head. 'Dammit. The lower levels are a bust.'

**'What? Why?'**

Several moments earlier

A pair of clones studied the large door before them, their prankster sense tingling madly at the fact that no matter what they threw at the structure it refused to budge.

"We could use explosive tags..."

"We'd probably destroy what's inside, dumbass!"

"We are supposed to destroy stuff! That's our reason for existing right now!"

"Yeah, but we need to know what's in there first! It could be valuable..."

Groaning softly, the first clone glared at his partner, his annoyed expression eliciting a look of confusion from his fellow clone. "Dammit, I bet you got the majority of the Boss' kleptomania, didn't you?" The second clone shrugged helplessly at he turned back towards the door, the first clone sighing as a Rasengan swiftly appeared in his hand. "No, we're not stealing from these guys, we're blowing the base up and making sure we don't miss any surprises that could come back to bite the Boss in the ass if we miss them. This is the last spot we need to check... wait, did it just get darker in here all of the sudden?"

Looking overhead, both clone's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of a tall, black haired man towering over them, his blank expression revealing nothing about his intentions. "Can you two fly?"

Both clones looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders before they threw a pair of smoke bombs at the ground, the recent arrival's posture never changing as the duo disappeared from sight. The high pitched hum of a pair of Rasengan's filled the room, both clones launching themselves the shadows on opposite ends of the room, each of them having the same thought. 'I am not messing around with a guy that can sneak up on me like that!'

Sighing loudly, the tall mage raised his hands, a single word his only response. "Fall."

* * *

><p><strong>'Shit, clones are not going to cut it with that guy at all. I get the feeling things are not exactly going to plan...'<strong>

Scowling lightly, Naruto opened the portal that led to the observation lounge, his eyes looking around the large, open space. Naruto nodded his head slowly at the wide windows before his eyes, the roiling thunderclouds letting the blonde know that his friends were still nearby. 'Yep, it's like Pein all over again... ugh, I hate gravity powers.'

Spying a large throne at the centre of the room, Naruto sat down, a sigh passing his lips as he leaned back in the large chair. 'Well, I will say this, Hades may be an Dark Mage, but he sure does... son of a bitch, again?!'

* * *

><p>Zancrow held his hands aloft as he slowly made his way through the cargo hold, his dark flames lighting the way as he slowly made his way through the almost labyrinth like area, the various crates and supplies forming multiple hiding spots in what would normally be a wide open room. 'Little fucker's gonna burn for how he brought me down here.' Zancrow winced as every movement pulled at the various lacerations that littered his body, each of them a silent reminder of how he had been violently pulled through three steel floors before landing in the dark hold.<p>

As Zancrow made his way deeper into the hold, several of Naruto's clones clambered silently over the various supplies, each of them using their hands to communicate with the each other. One of the clones dropped to the floor silently, a pair of black kunai clutched in his hands as he slowly advanced on the unsuspecting God Slayer. Just as he was about to leap forward and plunge his blades into his target, Zancrow thrust his hand directly into his stalker's face, a manic giggle passing his lips as he slowly looked over his shoulder. "Did you really think you could sneak up on me? I may not have the enhanced senses that your shitty Dragon Slayer's have, but that does mean you get to look down on me!"

Midnight black flames engulfed the clone in an instant, a brief cry of pain was the only sound that escaped the doomed clone's lips before he vanished, the God Slayer cackling madly as the remaining clones leaped towards the deck, his hands wreathed in flames as he charged the oncoming clones.

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><p><strong>'Well... shit. Dude's insane, like Shukaku insane. These guys are not like the other Dark guild's you've encountered before, kit. Maybe we should pull back and work out a real plan?'<strong>

Naruto cocked an eyebrow, his head looking towards his covered stomach in surprise. 'Wait, the great Kurama, destroyer of all things great and small wants to back out? What the hell, fuzzy?'

**'... Fuck you, that's the last time I express concern for my container.'**

Shrugging his shoulders, Naruto settled into the comfortable chair once more when the sole hatch into the room was blown off of it's hinges, a furious Hades passing through the smoking portal. Naruto grinned happily as he waved at the approaching dark mage, the old man pausing as he studied the blonde that occupied his throne.

"For everything that you have cost me, you're going to die, boy. Right here, right now." Naruto blinked slowly as he studied the angry mage for a moment, his expression shifting to boredom as he assessed the furious mage before him.

'Huh, different dimension, same bullshit villain cliches.' Naruto yawned as he pulled an apple from his jacket, the blonde happily snacking on the fruit. "Sorry about this, but I haven't eaten for a week. Some bullshit about how my hunger would break me or some such nonsense." Sighing happily, Naruto negligently tossed the apple core towards the fuming mage, the remains of the once whole fruit coming to a stop at the dark mage's boot. Raising his arm towards the seated blonde, Naruto watched as the Hades extended finger glowed ominously, the blonde smiling at the sight of the swiftly growing orb of energy. "Oooh, fireworks. You must make a killing as the entertainment during festivals and birthdays!"

Naruto waggled his eyebrows as Hades roared angrily, the Dark Guild master releasing the blast of Bullet magic, the orb of energy slammed into the seated blonde. Hades grinned savagely as the explosion of magical energy kicked up debris and smoke that soon obscured the taller man's sight.

Breathing deeply, Hades smirked as he watched the smoke slowly dissipate, his eyes hardening at the sight of his destroyed throne and the conveniently missing body.

"Wow, all that destructive power and no body to show for it, I'd be a little annoyed if that happened to me." Narrowing his gaze angrily once more, Hades slowly walked towards the centre of the observation lounge as Naruto's loud laughter echoed throughout the room, the tall guild master quickly running through every method of detection he knew. In the end it was in vain, a frustrated sigh the only sign of Hades' annoyance as he stood in the middle of the empty room.

"You've changed, boy. You're less psychotic than when I last saw you... but you're still as annoying as ever though."

"Oh, that as just an act. The moments I sensed your mages in the forest to pick Ultear up, I knew that there was more to this whole thing. So I decided that I needed to find the answers for all my questions. Why was Ultear part of the council? Who was she working for? Was this all part of some sort of Master Plan? Well that last one is kind of a silly question, there's always some sort of Master Plan with you villain types. You know, the normal stuff that you need to know when you're responsible for protecting the people you love and the rest of the world from assholes like you." The sound of rustling cloth had Hades swiftly spinning towards a darkened corner, several bursts of Bullet Magic racing from his extended fingers. Mocking laughter echoed in the dark mage's ears as the spheres of magic lit up the darkened area, the spot appearing to be abandoned and empty.

"I see, so the demonstration of your powers was a lure for me and your insanity was a way to trick me into thinking you were less of a danger. Bravo, I have to admit I am impressed you stayed in character for so long despite the torture that you were exposed to. But there is one small thing, I disabled you quite easily, I can do so again if needed."

"Yeah, about that." Hades paused for a moment as a lone strip of paper fell from the ceiling, his hand swiftly snatching the falling item and studying he design written across it's surface. "See, that's called a tag. A sealing tag, to be precise. And all those little squiggles there? That's a formula to knock me out in the event that I need to have myself captured. So you see, I let you capture me. It made it easier to get the information I needed."

A brief flare of magic incinerated the strip of paper, the ashes scattering to the floor as Hades chuckled softly. "Interesting. I haven't met a mage that was willing to go so far for a goal in years. And now I suppose that your going to take down the guild, capture me and turn us over to the council? How pedestrian, all that effort and still following the council's petty ru..." Hades paused for a moment, the dense clouds of smoke appearing throughout the room diverting his attention from the hiding blonde. As the smoke cleared, Hades chuckled softly at the sight of a dozen of identical blondes, each of them wearing identical grins as they nonchalantly clung to the ceiling. "One of your abilities, I take it?"

"You better believe it, bitch. But their so much more than just copies, as your guild members are finding out right now."

* * *

><p>Meredy panted softly, a pair of teal blades hovering over her open hands as she shook her head in confusion at the sight before her. Her target, Uzumaki Naruto, was standing in the hall, grinning broadly as Kain thrust a pudgy finger in the blonde's face. "YOU BASTARD! W-W-W-WHY DOES YOUR H-H-H-HAIR KEEP DISAPPEARING?!"<p>

Meredy watched in shock as Uzumaki leaned forward, his arms spreading out before him in a mocking gesture as he struggled to not to laugh at the overweight mage before him. "Oh come on, take another one, maybe you'll get lucky this time." Kain roared an anger as he deftly plucked one of the blonde's follicles, his eyes focusing intently on the lone strand of hair clenched between his fingers. Several moments passed in silence as Kain held his breath, his expression becoming hopeful when the stolen hair failed to go up in a puff of smoke. Kain roared in triumph as he attached the hair to the top of his doll, his hand thrusting towards the grinning blonde triumphantly.

"Finally! Now with Mr. Cursey, I will control you!" An evil grin split Kain's lips as he held his doll before him, evil laughter escaping his lips as he slammed the doll into the corridor wall. After several moments of Naruto standing tall before the pair, a sweating Kain looked down at his doll in confusion, his expression soon becoming incredulous at the sight of a once again missing hair from the top of his doll. Kain fell to his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks as he impotently shook his doll at the grinning man before him. "You b-b-b-b-bastard! I hate you!"

Meredy sighed in annoyance as she strode towards the infuriating blonde, the short girl summoning dozens of blades that hovered around their creator. As the blonde before her raised an eyebrow at the display of glowing weaponry, Meredy stretched her hand forward, her eyes tightening as she spoke. "Disappear, trash."

The clone grinned playfully as each of the floating blades raced towards it, the construct weaving through the storm of energy that had been flung at it. Just as he reached the stoic young girl, the clone's eyes widened is surprise as he felt a blade pierce his stomach, his gaze falling to the teal blade that had been shoved through his back. Looking up form the mortal wound a smile appeared on the clone's face as he locked his gaze with Meredy's

"N-not bad, little girl. S-small problem though, I'm..." Meredy waited patiently as the blonde coughed loudly, his blood slowly running down his chin before it fell as his feet. "Not the r-real one." Meredy's eyes widened in surprise as the clone began to glow brightly, her hand shoving the dying blonde to the ground as she raced towards Kain.

"RUN!"

* * *

><p>The deck below Hades' feet began to pitch wildly, the sound of several explosions echoing throughout the ship. "So that's how you've done all of this, those copies are what you've used to sabotage my ship."<p>

"Yeah," Naruto said, the original landing in a crouch on top of the destroyed throne. "I don't know what was sabotaged, all I know is that they were shiny and they looked expensive."

Breathing deeply, Hades felt his ire slowly settling as he prepared for the upcoming battle. "Every part of the ship can be repaired or replaced. My guild members are efficient and well trained, your pitiful sabotage will be but a small obstacle."

Naruto nodded slowly as he raised a lone finger, his grin growing even wider. "True, they are efficient and that's why I pinched your engineering crew. Well, most of them anyways." Hades eyes widened comically at the blonde's words, his jaw dropping as Naruto continued speaking. "The council has them right now, as well as several other low to high ranking members of your guild. I'm sure they've learned so many interesting things from them by now. Actually, there is one thing I have to ask you," Naruto said, his expression turning inquisitive as he stared at Hades. "What are you hiding behind that big door on the lower levels? Your damned attack dog stopped my boys just before they could break in."

Hades schooled his expression as Naruto landed on the ground, his arms folded against his chest as he watched the expectant blonde for several moments. "Well, we all have our secrets, boy. Maybe if you defeat me then I'll tell you mine." Flinging his hands forward, Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as a pair of glowing chains raced towards him, the blonde leaping backwards and latching onto the the ceiling as the glowing constructs slammed into the floor where he had once stood. Pulling his arms back, Hades grinned evilly as he swung his arms in an arc before his body, the chains following the same path before they slammed into several stunned clones. Explosions tore through the tall windows that protected the observation lounge from the elements, the original Naruto smirking as he dropped to the floor.

"Yeah, you might want to re-think that strategy. That is unless you want a pile of... on second thought, no. Go ahead, blow your ship up for me, it makes my job easier." Hades raised his hands as arcane symbols stretched along the floor, each clone dodging a blast of compressed air as they each flashed through several hand seals.

"GOKYAKYU NO JUTSU!/DAITOPPA NO JUTSU!" Hades smirked at the sight of several immense balls of flames racing towards him. A chuckle soon passed his lips as the approaching flames soon grew to enormous sizes, the futon technique supercharging the oncoming inferno. Hades raised his hand slowly towards the incoming flames, a shield of darkness flaring to life before the old mage as the flames closed in, the conflagration petering out swiftly as it struck the shield. A ring of shadowy orb's soon replaced the shield, each sphere of Dark magic racing towards the surprised clones. Hades scoffed as he watched most of the clones dodge the redirected attack, his hands soon never slowing as more Amaterasu glyphs appeared, the condensed sphere of wind tearing through several more clones with ease.

Naruto's eyes tightened as the fight continued to drag on, the shinobi realizing that it didn't matter what he threw at Hades, the old man was somehow managing to shrug each blow off as if it was nothing more than a mid summer's day breeze. Stretching his hand behind him, Naruto felt a pair of clones racing towards him while the remainder charges a grinning Hades, several of them engaging the white haired mage in hand to hand combat while others threw multiple jutsus. Chakra swirled over the blonde's hand, each of his clones helping to form the structure and imbue the growing Rasengan with their creator's chakra. Once the technique was completed, a high pitched wail attracted Hades' attention, his lone eye widening in consternation at the dense energy that rested over the blonde's palm.

"RASENSHURIKEN!" A mighty swing of his arm was all it took to launch the attack towards his target, a triumphant grin appearing as Naruto's remaining clones latched onto the frozen mage. As the rapidly moving projectile reached it's target a violent gale swept through the observation lounge, the loose pieces of debris rising from the floor as they were flung to and fro form the powerful currents of air.

**'Nice job, all that work you put into learning how to throw the Rasenshuriken out of Sage... MOVE!' **Naruto immediately dove towards the edge of the room, his eyes widening as the floor beneath him began to glow an ominous red. Pure black flames exploded from the airship's lower decks, a psychotic cackle accompanying the dark flames. Naruto slowly stood as he watched Zancrow leap through the hole, his hands twitching madly as he faced off against his fellow blonde.

"You... I'm going to kill you..."

**'Oh look, a psycho that shoots flames, where's Natsu when you need him?'**

'You're not helping, Kurama. Bastard is tougher than he looks.' Naruto rose to his feet slowly, his eyes flicking towards the large dust cloud had enveloped Hades. 'Did we get him?'

**'Naruto, you can sense his chakra, why do you bother asking?' **

'I'm an optimist?'

**You're an idiot... whoa, incoming!' **Naruto grimaced as he thrust his hands forward, a sphere of dark magic sending the shinobi skidding towards the destroyed windows. **'Kit, I think we may have a problem. Fat ass and pinky are on their way right now and Ultear-chan isn't far behind them. I... I think we've lost this one, Naruto.' **

Naruto grimaced as he watched Hades slowly striding towards him, a smirk appearing on the old man's features as he cradled another sphere of dark magic in his hand. 'What about Sennin modo? I can hold it for hours now, that should even the odds.'

**'Oh sure, Sennin Modo... you'd have to fight Hades, Bluenote and the rest of the Seven Kin at the same time and you still can't make more than five clones when you're using Nature Chakra. Until we know how Hades is standing up to all this punishment, we're not going to get past him. And don't even think of using Biju Modo, you have enough energy collected for 15 seconds, tops. Naruto, we've lost. Get the others and pull back, we'll get them another time.'**

His hands clenched tightly in anger, Naruto raced towards the madly grinning Zancrow as the flames coating the crazed mage's arms formed a massive blade, his arm lashing out at the approaching shinobi. Dropping to his knees, sweat dotted Naruto's brow as he skidded under the flaming blade, the shinobi popping to his feet as he delivered a powerful uppercut that sent the shocked God Slayer's flying into the air. Drawing his hands back, a glow surrounded the blonde as he gathered as much elemental chakra as he could, his hands trembling as he thrust his hands forward.

"_FUTON: TATSUMAKI!_" Naruto's hands directed the hurricane he'd created towards the airborne God Slayer, the funnel of spinning air igniting as soon as the powerful flames touched it. Grinning broadly, Naruto directed the technique towards the still grinning Hades, the blonde shinobi immediately spinning towards the shattered windows and leaped towards freedom. As he fell away from the airship, Naruto pulled his arms close as he hurtled towards the ground, his eyes squinting shut as he raced towards the forest beneath him. A quick hand sign and a clone appeared at his side, the construct grabbing it's creator and tossing him towards the nearest tree. A shroud of blue chakra burst to life as the shinobi smashed into a tree, the blonde swiftly getting his feet under him and racing towards his friends. As he pulled away from the hovering airship, the shockwaves from several powerful explosions nearly sent the blonde tumbling to the ground, but he managed to keep his balance as a grin appeared. 'I may have lost this time, but I gave them a nice parting gift to remember me by. The remaining clones managed to disable the engines and the Jupiter Cannon, so we should be ok until we can escape. Next time will be different, just you wait Grimoire Heart.'

* * *

><p>Yes, Naruto LOST. Next chapter we see what happened with Laxus and the others, plus the next arc begins!<p> 


	15. Chapter 14

I know. It's been a while. All I can say is sorry, life sucks. BUT! I am going to give you all an extended chapter as an apology, hopefully it can make up for the amount of time between updates.

First, over 100,00 words! Took me a little longer than I wanted but I've finally gotten over that marker. And as one of my less happy reviewers pointed out, I may only have a little over 200 reviews but I don't find that disappointing. As much as I'd like to have more, the fact that 570 people have put this up as a favourite and each time I release a chapter I get over a thousand views in the first day makes me think that people are enjoying the crazed ramblings of my disturbed mind.

This chapter was very hard to write, I had to rewrite the damn thing three times! Not because I lost it or screwed something up, but because each time I tried to write anything it just wouldn't flow and I would get stuck over and over again after wringing a few words. I finally figured out a way to put down what I wanted to present and I even managed to use a large chunk of other stuff I had written. Once I got a good rhythm going again it was easier, but still provided some challenges.

You'll also notice this chapter was written very differently than the rest of the story so far, mostly cause I'm trying to use different writing techniques. After all, I'm not just writing this for fun, I'm doing this to test myself and try and improve. The majority of this chapter centres around my OC's, Zeta Squad, so I hope you enjoy it and it's not too boring for you. Also, you'll notice that some parts of this chapter are alluded to but not expounded upon. This is actually by design since these 'missing pieces' will feature in other chapters.

Now, in response to a few reviews about the last chapter in regards to Ultear. Yes, I know that her powers can restore items back to a previous point in time, meaning that a lot of what Naruto did will be invalidated. But, I also have a fun little twist that will be introduced later, so watch for it when the story swings back towards Grimoire Heart after the next arc.

And so, read on!

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><p>Waking up has always been difficult for me, the warm blankets that habitually surrounded me as I slept would constantly lull my back to sleep each time I would begin to awaken. I let out a happy sigh at the memory of my mother and father, both of them laughing at the sight of their normally proper daughter as I slowly shambled into the kitchen each morning. My eyes would always be squeezed shut against the early morning light that spilled through our kitchen's large windows, and each day I would grudgingly prepare to face the world instead of lazing about in bed all day. And no matter how old I was, the same pattern continued to repeat itself over and over again. Not even my training as a Rune Knight was able to break me of my bad habits, a situation that caused a number of headaches and hassles through out the years.<p>

So when I awoke in the middle of the night, I knew that something was very wrong. A cool breeze passed through an open window, something that I would never have thought of doing had I been in my own room. The thin and itchy blankets that covered me were a far cry from the enchanted duvet I normally used, a prank gift from my mother and father when I graduated from school. As my eyes slowly adjusted to the dark room, I noticed that the furniture that surrounded me was not my own. This final revelation helped my sleep addled mind realize that I was not in my own room and that something was very wrong. Just as I was about to rise from the alien bed I had somehow found myself in, a soft yawn at my side froze me in place. I slowly turned towards the sound, my eyes widening at the sight of Naruto as he sat comfortably in a large chair at my bedside. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of the tall blonde as he slept peacefully at my side, I think it was the quietest I'd he'd ever been since I'd met him. I giggled softly as I gave into the childish urge to pinch the sleeping man's cheek, my fingers lightly reaching out towards the tempting target. But before i even got close to my quarry I felt a throbbing pain blossom across my chest, the unexpected pain eliciting a soft whimper from me as I fell back onto my temporary bed. I watched Naruto snort softly at the sound of my exclamation of pain, the once sleeping blonde rubbing at his eyes tiredly before he turned his bleary eyed gaze towards me.

When our eyes met, I was surprised at just how tired he looked. 'It doesn't make sense, Naruto never tired, even after he ran the girls and I... ragged...' As soon as my thoughts turned towards my girls, it was as if a fog was swept away from my mind, my hands ripping the blankets from my body in an instant. Ignoring the burning pain across my chest as it flared up once more, I tried to swing my legs out of the bed when a pair of large hands fell on my shoulders. I let out a weak growl as Naruto's hands gently pushed me back into my bed, his calm expression silencing me in an instant. I tried to struggle against his firm grip when his voice finally broke the silence, his words halting my struggles in an instant.

"Maren, it's alright. Everyone is ok, you're safe. You can see everyone after you've healed up some more, but right now I need to know what happened to you." As I looked at Naruto's serious expression, my memory of what had occurred came back to me in a rush.

Chapter 15

I looked towards the foot of my bed at the sight of Naruto as he sat patiently, my mind racing as I tried to organize my chaotic thoughts. After he had told me the others were alright, all the tension and worry had drained from my body, I felt relived that we had all made it through our last mission. But now the man that we had been searching for needed to know everything about the mages we'd fought and we were the only ones that could tell him. I knew he wouldn't tell me anything about the girls until he was satisfied, he could be annoyingly focused when he wanted to. Each time he acted like that I instantly would miss his normal fun loving attitude, but I had to admit that his serious side was enticing, it almost made you want to give him anything he asked of you. As I finally finished collecting my thoughts, I watched as a wide grin began to slowly appear on the shinobi's face. "What are you smiling about now, Naruto?"

I nearly laughed aloud as he raised his hands before him his grin widening as he shook his head. "No, nothing, just watching you fidget like a little kid is kinda entertaining." I growled at the accusation that I was acting like a child, a brief twinge of pain replacing me look of annoyance with one of discomfort. Naruto's expression instantly shifted to concern as he stood and approached me, a hand resting lightly on my shoulder as I lay against the pillows that were kept me propped up against my headboard. "Maren, don't push yourself, we can talk later..."

"Oh no you don't, you blonde bastard, if you try and tell me that I'm still too weak," I growled out, my angry glare halting my teacher's words in mid-sentence. "I will personally kick your ass out of this window and down the street. Now get me another pillow, my back is getting sore."

I continued to glare at him as he locked his gaze with my own, his concerned expression never wavering as he continued to stare at me. After several moments of silence he finally conceded defeat, a sigh passing his lips as he turned towards a nearby closet. I closed my eyes as I let out a deep breath, the feeling of beating my sensei in something as trivial as this still gave me a small feeling of elation. Soon after that a pair of hands gently leaned me forward, an unbidden memory of when my parents took care of me when I was sick coming to mind as he placed another pillow behind me, a sigh passing my lips at I lay against the more substantial padding. I watched as Naruto sat back at the foot of my bed once again, his legs folding up under him as he waited for me to speak. 'But first, that worried look he's wearing has to go. I will not have him codling me just because I got hurt, he should know better than that by now.'

"Well, if you ever get tired of fighting then I think you'd make a pretty good nurse. You've got a soft touch there, Naruto." I watched as he snorted softly, a smile replacing his worried expression within moments. "Good, now that you've stopped acting like a worried parent, I'll tell you what I remember. Once we had found Grimoire Heart's ship, we split up just like you had planned. I didn't want to let Candra leave with Laxus, but in the end I let her go. But I did warn him that he'd better bring her back without a scratch or that he'd face my fury. I nearly lost it right then and there when both of them just laughed at me before they disappeared into the forest."

"After that I took the others out on patrol like you asked us to do. For the most part it was pretty quiet, there were just the normal sounds and sights you'd expect to find in a forest... well, other than those really big explosions to the north." I waited for a moment as I watched Naruto nodding happily at the mention of explosions. Just what is it with men and blowing things up? I don't think I'll ever understand the appeal of causing large amounts of property damage. "Anyways, if you're done patting yourself on the back for causing mass amounts of destruction, I'll continue. After a short time on patrol, I felt as if something was off. It was almost exactly how I felt when my last squad was ambushed by a dark guild, the same feeling of being followed. Most of the girls didn't even feel it, except for Laeta."

I paused for a moment as Naruto wore a look of pride at the mention of Laeta. Even during training he'd treated her differently then the rest of us, nothing inappropriate but it seemed like he was closer to her. Probably something to do with her Shadow magic, after all she was the only one that was able to keep up with the majority of his tricks and moves involving stealth and espionage. "After we realized we were being followed, I sent Laeta into the woods to see what she could do to support us from there. When I turned my attention back towards the others, I noticed that we were approaching a clearing, a perfect spot for us to bring the fight to our pursuers."

_As I skidded to a stop in the middle of the open field, I turned my attention towards the dark woods at our backs. Silence was all that greeted me, the mages that were pursuing us apparently were still hesitant to show their hand this early. 'Well then, I guess it's time we force their hand.'_

"_Heads up girls, we've got company. Aleta, Sylia. Give our guests a warm welcome, will you?" I grinned at the beatific smiles both girls gave me, their eyes shifting towards the woods as they stepped away from the rest of us. I waited patiently as Aleta threw her arms forward, a sphere of scarlet energy swiftly growing between her outstretched hands while Sylia's Tenshi no Hono flared to life at her back, the life like curtain of flame shifting into a pair of angelic wings that swung towards the trees in an instant. Tenshi no Hono and Bakudan Meiku... I've seen entire squadrons of grown men laugh at the sight of my girls, but once their magic comes into play those same confident men are ready to turn tail and run. I watched as a wave of white fire race towards the nearby treeline, the grass in it's path instantly shrivelling into nothing as Sylia's spell skimmed along the ground. Moments later a head sized sphere of violently roiling energy unerringly followed in it's wake, a steady whine of power reaching my ears even as the spell raced closer to the woods. _

_But just as both spells reached the tree line, a deep voice shouted a single word, __**"B**__**Ō**__**!", **__and__I watched as__a dark symbol appeared in the path of both spells. The strange symbol stood up to Sylia's Hono no Tsubasa, the wave of intense flames splashing against it like a wave against a breaker. Meanwhile Aleta's Akuma no Shuryudan was intercepted by what appeared to be a dozen harmless looking eggs, each of their shells splitting apart and forming large fists from the goop they contained. A dozen hits were more than enough to detonate Aleta's attack prematurely, the resulting explosion managed to shake the ground while flinging large chunks of debris all around us. I immediately looked towards the girls, each of them nodding that they were alright before I turned back towards the woods. And that's when I saw out opponents enter the clearing, my eyes widening at the bizarre sight before us. The taller of the two looked like a over grown chicken, his beak opening as if it were grinning at us. The second mage that wore a set of samurai armor appeared human, but the goat like face he sported told a different story. _

"Hmmm, Kawazu and Yomazu. They're not part of the Seven Kin, but they're close to them in terms of raw power. Their magic is damned useful... even though Kawazu's magic looks like a joke. I mean eggs? Come on, who fights with eggs..." Naruto trailed off as I glared at him, a contrite look appearing as he gestured for me to continue.

"_You see, Kawazu, I told you that their magic wouldn't pose any problems for us. After all," The goat faced Swordsman said, the predatory gleam in his eyes causing a chill to run down my spine. "They're just some bitches from the Council. They're even more pathetic than the mages from a light guild."_

"_Peron, you're right, Yomazu. They really are useless. Although... they are easy on the eyes." The strange man-chicken laughed softly at the angry expressions that each of my girls gave at the pair's words. "Aw, are the poor little girls angry that I insulted them? Peron..."_

_I stepped towards them both, my gaze shifting towards the dark forest that lay behind them as I addressed the strange pair. "And your friends? Are they going to just continue hiding like scared mice?" I watched as Yomazu shook his head slowly, a feral grin appearing on his goat-like features. _

"_Oh no, if we let them fight they'd just get in the way. They will report back to Caprico-sama and the others that we have located you, which means that we had better finish this quickly unless we want them to ruin our fun. **G****Ō****!**"(Roar!)_

_I watched another large symbol appear in the air behind the dark mages in an instant as I tried to guess what exactly this symbol did. And that's when a high pitched screeching echoed throughout the clearing, my hands instantly clapping over my ears as I tried to block out the sound. As I tried to ignore the ringing in my head both dark mages raced towards us, the grating sound apparently having no effect on either of them. Growling angrily as I glared at the distant enchantment, I pulled one of my hands away from my head as it began to glow brightly. Drawing my hand back as it closed into a fist, a magic seal flared to life as I threw a punch towards the far off target, the burst of magic racing across the clearing as I called out the name of my spell. **"MUK****Ō****NISURU: BASUTO!"** _

"Nice, I was wondering when you'd use that. It took us a month to get it right and you never use it, which sucks cause it's an awesome move!" Glaring at Naruto once more, I watched him shrug his shoulders in resignation at the deadpan gaze I gave him. "Seriously, do you really expect me to just sit here and keep quiet? I thought you knew me better than that. Keep going, student."

_I watched in anticipation as my spell sailed between the charging dark mages, the pair skidding to a halt as they stared wide eyed as the potent energy that blocked their view of each other. Yomazu's eyes widened in alarm as he turned towards his enchantment, the dark mage shaking his head in denial as he watched the beam of energy strike the floating symbol dead on. I smirked happily at the sight of the the rune as it wavered in the air several times before the enchantment collapsed entirely. I breathed a sigh of relief as the terrible noise finally abated. _

_I watched as Yomazu turned towards us once again, only to nearly laugh aloud as the goat-man was caught flatfooted by a charging Elysia, her high pitched war cry eliciting a condescending smirk from the goat-man. I heard Yomazu chuckling darkly as his grip tightened around the hilt of his katana, the dark mage pointing his deadly weapon towards me as he turned to face the charging teen. "She may have destroyed my enchantment, but I seriously doubt that you will be any use in this fight... nani?" I nearly lost it when Yomazu's expression changed to shock at the sight of as a magic seal appearing in Elysia's path, her pace increasing dramatically as she passed through the floating symbol. Yomazu's eyes widened in pain as he felt Elysia's shoulder dented his breastplate, the once confident mage crying out in pain as he was flung across the across the clearing like a rag doll. _

_Having just seen his partner taken down by a harmless looking teenager, Kawazu wasted no time in launching a storm of eggs high into the air, his mocking laugh escaping his open beak as he watched his barrage of food falling towards the rest of us. Just when it looked like he was about to mock us again, his jaw dropped in shock as a wall of flames rose up between us, his magical eggs roasting in instant. As the now harmless items fell to the ground, the egg obsessed mage reaching out pitifully towards the destroyed ovoids before he turned his furious expression towards us. "NO... M-M-MY EGGS! I'LL KILL YOU!" _

_I turned toward Aleta and Sylia, the feral grin I tossed towards them was soon mirrored by both. "The hen is your target, girls. Elysia and I will take Goat-chin over there."_

"_HEN?! I'M A GUY, YOU STUPID BITCH, PERON!" Apparently I struck a nerve with that comment, an angry tick mark appearing as I shrugged my shoulders at the dark mage's comments._

"_But don't hens lay eggs?"_

"No. You didn't!" Naruto's expression was dumbfounded as he stared at me in wide eyed surprise.

"Yes, I did."

"Seriously?" As my narrowed gaze locked onto Naruto's dumbfounded expression, his incredulity fading within moments as I continued to give him a deadpan stare. "Ok, you're serious. Bravo, student. You've made great strides in using one liners to piss off your opponents. I'm so proud."

I felt one of my eyebrows rise at the sight of Naruto sniffing loudly as he swiped at a tear before it could fall. "Uhh, right... anyways, before I was so rudely interrupted..."

_Kawazu roared angrily as he took to the air, his mouth opening widely as he filled the overcast sky with his weapons of choice. The falling rain of heavy eggs forced us apart from each other as we made sure that we weren't caught under the bizarre ammunition. I winked at the infuriated man-chicken before racing towards Elysia, a grin forming as the sound of her carefree laughter. I took a moment to watch Elysia as she continued dancing lightly around our opponent's blade, her laughter increasing in volume each time he missed her. Yomazu, on the other hand, was crying out angrily each time his missed the bouncing teen, his strikes becoming more and more desperate as he tried to to tag her. _

_Shaking my head at the sight, I was about to dive into the fight when a small sphere of amber light appeared in my path. My eyes widened as I tried to hit is with my nullification magic, but it was already too close for me to nullify it. I watched helplessly as the ball of light struck my chest, my body slamming painfully into the ground before skidding limply across the clearing._

"The next thing I knew it felt like a Vulcan had stomped on my chest after setting it on fire. I-I remember that I couldn't stop screaming and then... nothing. That's the last thing I remember before I woke up here." I looked up at Naruto as I finished my tale, his head nodding slowly as he got to his feet. "What happened to the others? Where are they, Naruto?" My gaze followed Naruto as he knelt beside me, his expression falling as he took my hand and held it between his own.

"Like I said, they're all here. Laeta and Sylia are fine, Sylia had a minor concussion as well as a few bumps and bruises. Laeta had a few easily treated burns, she's standing guard outside the hospital right now." I took a deep breath as I focused on our joined hands, a feeling of relief passing through me at the news that Sylia and Laeta were fine. But my relief only lasted a moment as Naruto voice dropped in pitch, his words causing my eyes to tear up. "Candra and Aleta... were worse off. Both of them were still unconscious the last time I checked. Aleta has second and third degree burns over most of her exposed skin, according to the doctors she should be fine but it will take time. Candra has several broken bones along with a concussion... she hasn't woken up since she got into the hospital."

I listened to Naruto as he continued speaking, my hand reaching up as I wiped at my stinging eyes. As Naruto's voice finally trailed off, I felt a feeling of dread spread throughout my body once I realized that he hadn't said anything about Elysia. Squeezing his hand painfully, I looked into Naruto's eyes as the tears I'd been holding back finally broke free at the look of anguish he wore. "No, not Elysia... what happened to Elysia?!"

"Elysia... Elysia is in critical condition. The doctors are hopeful that she'll pull through, but she's still got a ways to go until she's out of the woods. They haven't told me much, all I know is that it's pretty bad." I used my free hand to swipe angrily at the tears that coursed down my cheeks, a sob escaping as I tried to keep a grip on my sorrow. I nearly jumped when I felt a pair of arms surrounding me, one of Naruto's hands rubbing my back comfortingly as he held me in his arms. I clenched my teeth as I tried to fight down the sobs that threatened to escape me, but it was in vain as I buried my face into my teachers neck, my sobs wracking my weakened body as I cried like a child.

Several hours later

I softly closed the door to Maren's room after she finally fell into a fitful sleep, her crying having finally take it's toll on her injured body. I closed my eyes tiredly as I leaned against the wall of the empty corridor, my mind racing as it kept coming back to what I had just witnessed. Maren, one of the most level headed people I've known throughout my life, crying into my chest like a small child. 'I'm not letting something like this happen to them ever again.'

_**'Wow, doesn't it seem like you're being a little over protective there, kit? I mean, you do realize that'll be impossible, right? They work for the council, who as far as I remember don't exactly hand out safe and easy missions. Her and the others will be in trouble again, regardless of whatever you do.'**_

'That doesn't make me feel any better, Kurama. Besides, we both know the council doesn't want them back.'

_**'Wait, was it supposed to? They ain't your kids and even if they were you'd still have to let them go out into the world and fend for themselves! Hell, I seem to remember a snot nosed brat who thought he could take on the whole world on his own. The little nut job even raced into a fight with a S-Class nukenin, ON HIS OWN, when he was thirteen! And it's not like Fairy Tail's jobs are any safer... well, at least the ones that they'd want to take.'**_

'...I hate it when you're being logical.' I pushed off the wall slowly as I turned towards my next stop, a soft grunt was Kurama's only response as he became silent once more. As I opened the door and entered the dimly lit room, my eyes turned towards the towards the pair that occupied the room. I chuckled softly at the sight of Sylia, a line of drool escaping her open mouth as she rested on Aleta's legs. Apparently her vigil had been too much for her, the fiery Rune Knight stating that she wouldn't rest until Aleta had awoken. Shaking my head as I knelt beside her, I gently poked Sylia's cheek in an attempt to wake her up, her head turning away from the annoyance that was trying to rob her of her rest. "Oi, Sylia. Wake up."

A soft groan passed Sylia's lips as she finally awoke, her bleary eyes turning towards me as she yawned softly. "Naruto-sensei... what time is it?"

"Just past noon. Maren finally woke up, I just got done putting her to bed after I told her about Elysia and the others." I watched Sylia freeze for a moment, her shoulders tensing up as she remembered that Aleta wasn't the only one that had gotten hurt. Turning towards the bed, I noticed that Aleta seemed to be sleeping peacefully, her face no longer showing any sign of the pain she had been feeling when she arrived several days earlier. "I see she's doing better."

Sylia nodded slowly as she reached for Aleta's hand and squeezed it gently. "Yeah, the doctors say that the scarring should be minimal. They're still surprised that she hadn't been hurt worse than she was, they think it has something to do her magic." I waited patiently as Sylia watched Aleta for several moments before she turned towards me. "So, I guess it's time for my report, Sensei?" I nodded as I pulled a chair towards Aleta's bed, a sigh escaping as I sat on the comfortable piece of furniture. I suddenly froze at the sound soft giggles, my eyes narrowing at the sight of Sylia trying to hold in her laughter. "You sound like an old man, Sensei. Anyways..."

_After Maren went down, I knew that something was up. Neither of the farm rejects we had been fighting had used any kind of explosive, meaning that someone else had crashed the party. I wanted to check on her right away, but I couldn't risk it until we knew what we were dealing with. So, I decided it was best to follow one of your pieces of advice to try and draw him out._

"Which one was that?"

_The one where you told us to try and piss the bad guy enough that he reveals himself or his plans prematurely._

"Nice, that's one of my favourites."

"_OI, ASSHOLE! How about you come out now and I'll rearrange yer face for ya, no charge!"_

_At first silence was my only answer, but I soon heard a soft chuckle echoing across the clearing. "Hmm, I'd be surprised if you could even stand up to me for a few minutes. Don't worry, I'll reveal myself before I kill you and the others, but first..." Suddenly, there were explosions everywhere! They ripped through the forest like it was nothing, dozen's of trees disappearing in seconds! That's when I saw Laeta leap clear of the burning forest, and boy did she look pissed! She was scowling like a thundercloud as she skidded to a halt beside me. She appeared to be alright other than a few small scorch marks across her body, but she sure looked unhappy about what had happened. "Impressive, your little shadow walker managed to escape my trap without injury. Sadly, that won't last long."_

_Both Yomazu and Kawazu fell back towards a nearby tree that had somehow survived the last explosion, both of them looking much too happy at the current turn of events. That's when I saw it, the bark of the tree they were standing beside... it was moving! I watched the tree with wide eyes as the outline of a man slowly appeared, it was like he was pushing himself out of the tree trunk itself! After several moments the stretched out bark finally peeled away, revealing this really tall brown haired guy that stepped into the burning field. He just stood there with his arms crossed over his chest, not even saying a word before he turned towards Goat-chin. And boy, did he look ticked off at him. "I see you ran into some trouble, Yomazu."_

"_Of course not, Azuma-sama. We were just..." Goat-chin's excuse was cut off prematurely when Aleta flicked a marble sized explosive at him, I remember grinning as Goat-chin growled angrily at the interruption. His katana flashing out towards the small bomblet, the small blast covered him in smoke as he let out a frustrated sigh. "...Very well, I'll admit it. These women are being very difficult."_

_That's when he turned his attention towards us. When he looked at us with a quick once over, he almost looked... annoyed? I'll never forget what he said to me, he pissed me right off with his condescending attitude._

"_So all the council has to offer me are weak women? Both of you, go and find your master. I'll finish up here, I won't be long." I swear I heard a snapping sound from Aleta, which was soon followed by a angry growl at this jerk's words. I was almost afraid to look at her, but in the end my curiosity won out. A angry red aura surrounded Aleta, her hair flying in every direction as her magic spiked to the highest level I'd ever felt from her. She waved her hands towards Goat-chin and Chicken-man as they ran off, a huge number of bomblets streaking through the air towards them. But a wall of tree roots burst outta the ground, each of the small explosives harmlessly exploding against the natural barrier. As the smoke cleared, this Azuma guy turned back towards us, his head shaking slowly as he looked at Aleta. "Explosion Make, such a pathetic copy of my own magic. Let me give you a taste of true power, my Great Tree Arc Magic." _

_That's when Elysia let out an angry cry, each of us turning towards her and watching as she was trussed up by several roots in an instant. Laeta's shadow instantly raced towards the tree roots, when Azuma's next words stopped us in our tracks. "I wouldn't attack those roots. Any hit will cause them to explode, killing the girl in the process. You have 180 seconds to defeat me, I'll even fight all three of you at once since I doubt you'll be much of a problem on your own." _

"That was a dick move. I suddenly don't feel so bad about what I did to him."

"Sensei?"

"Never mind, keep going."

_Laeta instantly leaped towards Azuma, her shadow separating into multiple spikes as she tried to turn him into a kabob. Azuma smirked as several tree roots intercepted the attack, but that didn't last long once each of the pieces of Laeta's shadow flowed around them like water. Aleta roared loudly as she released another wave of explosive energy, the confident dark mage falling back as he dodged relentless waves of shadowy spikes and mini bombs. As each bomb exploded I redirected each burst of flame right towards Azuma's face, but the bastard has some damn good footwork, he managed to slip away from our attacks every time they got too close. I growled angrily as I flung my wings towards him. a tornado of flame spiralling around him before he could slip free. Aleta wore a feral grin as she slammed her hands on the ground, a line of red energy speeding towards the centre of the cyclone. _

"_HOW'S THIS FOR PATHETIC? BAKUHATSU NO SAKEME!" The spiralling flames nearly tripled in size as Aleta's explosion fed them, I almost lost control of the whole thing but I somehow managed to hang on, my hands trembling as I continued fanning the flames to even higher temperatures. After a minute I let my hands drop towards the ground, the flames disappearing in an instant as I released my hold on them. Smoke rose lazily from the ground as several small fires slowly guttered out, but there was no sign of Azuma at all. I turned towards Elysia, expecting to see her free of the roots that held her. But all I saw was the countdown slowly ticking away. Before I could turn to the others, I heard soft laughter echo across the clearing._

"_Impressive. Most mages would have been destroyed by that combination, even some of the other members of the Seven Kin. Your teamwork is flawless, ladies. A pity that it will not be enough to finish me."_

"And that's when he brought out the big guns." I nodded at Naruto's words, several tears making their way down my cheeks before I answered.

"Yes, he did. Elysia went down first, the time bomb went off before we could try anything else. Aleta lost it after that, she charged Azuma but it was useless. He just isn't someone that uses Lost magic, he's also a experienced hand to hand fighter, not to mention completely sadistic. He uses his magic as part of his fighting style, redirecting any blows that got to close with small explosives, Aleta never had a chance since she was off balance from the get go. Leata leaped in to help her, but she had her own problems when he sent what looked like a small forest worth of tree roots to skewer her. Once he got tired of playing with Aleta, he just kept pelting her with explosives until ..." I felt a few tears roll down my cheeks as I remembered the sight of Aleta as she was engulfed in a tower of flames, I could still hear her screams when I tried to sleep. Naruto leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he nodded slowly.

"It's alright, I can see where this is going, he never did strike me as the merciful type." I dabbed at the corners of my eyes as I watched Naruto turn towards Aleta's bed.

"So, what happened on your end of the mission?"

"Well, after a few minutes of running I turned back towards the Airship, several late explosions caught my attention. I knew I needed to meet up with all of you, but I wanted to make sure that I didn't get caught with my pants down, again..."

"Awww, it's ok, Sensei. Everyone messes up, even know it all, sadistic trainers."

"I'm more than willing to help the staff create a workout program to get you all back in shape while you're on the mend. Wanna try that again?"

"Uhhh... never mind, please go on!"

"As I was saying, I left a clone behind to watch the ship, just in case. It was pretty easy to find you and the others, I just followed the gratuitous explosions... and the screams. I reached the clearing just as Aleta fell and that's when... well, when I got pissed."

* * *

><p><em>I was frozen in place as I looked at the sight before me. Elysia and Aleta were on the ground and neither of them were moving, both you and Leata were standing protectively between them and Azuma. Even though I could not see his face I could tell that that bastard was happy about the pain he was causing you all. And that's when I decided to let loose, the natural energy I had gathered that day coursed through me as I leaped towards him. My eyes widened as a wall of roots rose to block my path, but the shock was short lived as I smirked. Azuma thought that he had me, but he had no idea who or what he was messing with. A short burst of Senjutsu chakra and I disappeared from sight, my movements too fast to track as I skirted the wall of roots. When I appeared between you guys and him, the look on his face was priceless. I wanted to see that happen again and again for what he had put all of you through. I'm sure you remember what happened next, right?<em>

"Yeah, you told Laeta and I to grab the girls. You made a few clones and told us to follow them out of the forest while you covered us."

_Exactly. After all, I couldn't let you get caught in the cross fire if I was really going to let loose... and I so wanted to kick someone's ass that day. Azuma chuckled softly while you ran off, a large smile growing as turned his attention towards me. I watched as multiple tree roots burst from the ground, each of them racing towards. I never broke eye contact with Azuma as I weaved between each root, small streamers of wind chakra slicing through each of them in an instant. After several moments of this the roots disappeared back into the ground, the sound of soft clapping from my opponent casing me to growl angrily at his antics. "And here you are, someone that can truly test my abilities. These pathetic women weren't worth my time, show me that vaunted Fairy Tail spirit! BLEVE!"_

_I remember an intense feeling of rage at Azuma's words and that's when I decided I'd give him exactly what he wanted. You know when they say that time slows down in stressful situations? They're right, it does. As I completely focused on the madly grinning man, his movements slowed to a crawl while it appeared as if I was completely unaffected. My hands slammed into the ground as a wave of explosive energy slowly approached me, my chakra spreading through the ground at my feet in an instant. A wall of earth rose up to block the incoming blast before it had even crossed half of the distance between he and I, the look of shock that slowly appeared on his face before my earth wall blocked our sight will stay with me forever. I created a pair of clones in an instant, one of them leaping over the barrier while the second one silently sank into the ground. A quick burst of futon chakra and I was roosting in a tree at his back once more, my airborne clone flinging a handful of kunai at a wide eyed Azuma. I watched as multiple knives struck the tree roots that surrounded him, none of them managing to penetrate his defense._

_I remember my mid-air clone grinning at the sight of Azuma as he slowly raising his hands towards him, a massive magical seal slowly forming in front of his outstretched palms as the clone used the Seal of Confrontation to set off the tagged kunai. Multiple blasts tore through the tree roots like they were kindling, my clone accelerating rapidly as a burst of futon chakra launched him towards the ground at breakneck speed. Azuma watched helplessly as several more controlled bursts of futon chakra forced my clone's body to spin around, his leg stretched out over his head in preparation for the mother of all axe kicks. A final burst of futon chakra and my clone's heel crashed into Azuma's skull, the ground cratering as his body slammed painfully into the ground. A final burst of chakra sent my clone skidding away from downed dark mage, my eyes narrowing as I waited to see if he would get up from the powerful hit. I was slightly impressed by his durability as he slowly got to his feet again, blood dripping from his lip as he angrily stared at my clone. My second clone didn't waste any time as he launched himself out of the ground at Azuma's feet, his hand latching onto Azuma's face before he flung him into the air, my clone's eyes following Azuma's uncontrolled flight as he sped through a long series of hand seals. Once Azuma's skyward flight peaked, my clone opened his mouth wide and let go of the chakra he had collected, a dragon of pure wind swiftly forming as it raced towards the falling mage. Razor sharp air currents sliced into Azuma's skin like a hot knife through butter, his blood falling to the ground as he fell through the centre of the deadly technique._

"Wow... how come you've never show us those moves? They sound pretty bad ass!"

I laughed at Sylia's enthusiasm, my hand pulling back the long sleeve that hid my Sennin Bracer from view. "Simple. I need Sage mode to perform both of them, otherwise I'd be spending a long time in the hospital. Both techniques, _Futon: Shoryuzan_ and the_ Kaze no Manto,_ are what I'd call finishers. But like most of those moves they aren't really meant to be used unless I'm using at least some of the enhancements I've got. Shoryuzan would tear my throat to shreds in an instant, and whenever I hit something while using Kaze no Manto I'd shatter my bones from the added speed and power... what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Sensei... I know you used clones to attack that jerk, but did you use the clones to come up with those techniques?"

I paused for a moment, my eyes narrowing at Sylia's question. "No... I made them up myself."

"Sensei, I think you're some kind of masochist."

I paused for a moment, my mind trying to wrap around Sylia's accusation as she continued to stare at me intently. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

"I mean, every high end move you use seems to seems to seriously injure you or could permanently cripple you for life! I think you have a serious problem, but I'm sure we can..."

"I'll start you off with a daily twenty mile hike through the most mountainous location I can find around here. Then I'll design an obstacle course that you'll have to run until you finish it. And you will NEVER finish it, I guarantee it."

"...Never mind, please continue."

_That's better... anyways, as I watched Azuma's limp body crash into the ground from my perch in the tree, I suddenly turned towards the nearby airship. A curse slipped free as I regained the memories of the clone that I had left behind, the sight of a massive magical seal repairing the ship as it passed through it told me that it was time to get everyone else out. I watched Azuma struggle to rise once more, a feeling of vindication swiftly growing at the sight of his mangled left arm, the destroyed limb hanging limping at his side. I pulled a kunai from my pouch as I leaped from my perch towards the bloodied man, the heavy blade slamming into his right shoulder before he noticed my presence. As he screamed shrilly, I placed a another kunai against his throat, my clones disappearing in a burst of smoke. Tightening my grip, I leaned closer as I felt Azuma struggle weakly against my grip. "Is that good enough for you, asshole?"_

"Whoa... and then what happened?"

"And then? Uh, well, lets just say he's not going to be a problem anymore...hey, look, she's waking up!" As soon as I was sure that Sylia's attention was focused on her bedridden friend, I silently slipped out of the door. I let out a sigh of relief escaped me as the door to Aleta's room quietly closed, the sound of both girls as fading as I walked down the hall.

**'Wuss.'**

'Did you want to tell them what happened after that? Cause I sure as hell didn't.'

**'Good point. It's funny, you sure have changed from the stupid little kid you used to be.'**

'What did you expect, Kurama?' Naruto thought as he approached towards his last stop, his slow steps echoing throughout the empty hallway. 'Everyone has to grow up at some point.'

* * *

><p>The last nurse that left the room told me that I should get some rest as well. But no matter how tired I was it was pointless, each time I tried to fall asleep I would toss and turn until I couldn't stand to stay in bed any longer. My eyes kept shifting back towards the other person that occupied the room I was in, a frown appearing each time I remembered how she'd been hurt in the first place. I didn't even look up when the door opened again since there always seemed to be a constant flow of nurses and doctors checking up on the patient. So I can't be surprised that I was caught off guard when a large hand latched onto the front of my shirt, my eyes widening as I stared directly into Naruto's angry eyes. 'Oh hell, I do not need this today.'<p>

"Outside, Laxus. NOW." Naruto immediately exited the room at those words, but I took the time to look towards Candra's bed before I left. When I entered the hallway, I saw Naruto motioning me towards the stairwell before he disappeared from sight once more. A let out a annoyed sigh, an inkling of what was going to happen passing through my mind in that instant. I slowly trudged up the stairs, knowing that if I took too long then Naruto would just come and find me again. As I passed through the rooftop's doorway, I saw Naruto had already approached the edge of the roof, his arms resting on the waist high railing as he studied the town that surrounded the hospital. I approached the still blonde and stood beside him silently, waiting for him to lash out at me about the fuck up of a mission we had just experienced. After all, I did promise that I'd protect the...

"Some mission, huh?" I cocked an eyebrow at his mild tone, my eyes instantly shifting towards Naruto. His expression was neutral, but I could tell he was waiting for a response.

"Yeah. You could say that." I watched Naruto as he took a deep breath, his eyes closing for a moment before he turned towards me again.

"So, tell me what happened on your end."

* * *

><p><em>It's strange, you know? It'd been a while since I'd worked with anyone other than the Raijinshū, and to be honest it was... almost refreshing in a way. I looked to my right and watched Candra as she studied our target, her arms folded against her chest as she focused on the smoking aircraft. After several moments she broke her silence with a soft hum, her gaze shifting towards me as she jerked a thumb back at the ship. "Hey, don't you think the right side..."<em>

_A smirked at her description of the ship and decided to see if I could push her buttons. "Do you mean the starboard nacelle?" The look she gave me was on par with Erza's, I was actually impressed at amount of anger she was able to project with a simple glare._

I paused as Naruto let out a soft laugh, his eyes focusing on me as he smiled softly. "Yeah, she does have a temper. She hates being interrupted and corrected, not to mention she really dislikes people that are full of themselves. Oh kami, I should not have paired you two up..."

I shook my head at Naruto's words, his voice trailing off as he gave me a quizzical look. "No, it worked out in the end. Like I said, I just wanted to see how far I could push her."

_Her glare did soften at all after several moments until she let out a soft huff of annoyance._

"_Whatever, smart ass. The starboard nacelle is looking a little too..." She paused once again as if looking for the right word. So, being the gentleman that I am..._

"HAH! Gentleman?"

"Shut up, asshole."

_As I said, being the gentleman I am, I decided to help her out. "Immaculate?"_

_She paused at the offered word and after a few moments she seemed to accept it, nodding her head slowly as she stared at the ship. "Yeah, that's a perfect word for it," She said, her hand slowly stretching out towards the nearly pristine starboard nacelle as if she were attempting to touch the far off vessel. "It's looking far too immaculate." I watched a savage grin appear on her lips, yellow seal flaring to life in front of her hand. I watched a powerful bolt of lightning streak form the sky and crash into said nacelle a few moments later, the first few layers of magically reinforced armor melting in an instant as the bolt of lightning to piercing the ship's interior with almost contemptuous ease. I whistled loudly at the damage she'd caused, when I heard her whisper..._

"You never told them I'm a Dragon Slayer, did you?"

"Uh, no? Why?"

"Oh, well this makes sense now. I was wondering why she'd even try whispering near me with my enhanced senses and all, they seemed to know pretty much everything else about me."

"They know what the council knows, Laxus. So what happened?"

_I tried to act s naturally as possible when I heard her softly whisper, "He's an ass... but a cute one at least."_

I paused for a moment as Naruto let out a guffaw of laughter, his hands gripping the railing tightly as he tried to remain upright. "ANYWAYS..."

_I think I kept my shock from my features since she continued to speak after that. "Hmmm, better. Much better." That's when I sensed them, in the trees. Somehow they'd managed to get the drop on us, but one of them had gotten a little too overzealous. I could feel him preparing an attack, and it looked like Candra was going to be his target. Needless to say, I was not happy about that, my hand stretching out towards one of the mages that had surrounded us. Candra looked ay me in confusion as a seal appeared before my hand, a hand that was pointed right at her._

"_Laxus...?" Her voice sounded... shocked, almost scared. Like she couldn't believe what was happening._

"_Duck." I watched her eyes widen as she dropped to the ground, a burst of lightning tearing through the air towards our ambushers. I kept my hand trained on the forest as Candra looked up at me from the ground, that is until the she heard the sound of a body hitting the ground. Looking over her shoulder, I heard her take in a deep breath at the sight of a heavily charred corpse amid the burning tree. I watched Candra quickly scramble, her gaze never leaving the blacked Guns Magic rifle in the corpse's grasp. That's when the rest of our... 'Welcoming Committee' decided to make themselves known, each of them exiting the forest. Their leader stepped closer, his eyes glued to Candra as he addressed his men._

"_Well look at what we got here, boys. No one told us that one of our little mice was such a looker. After we dispose of Blondie here, how 'bout we have some fun with Red?" Candra growled angrily and jabbed a finger towards the speaker, but before she could say a word I'd already stepped in front of her, lightning arcing up and down my arms as I stared them all down. _

"_Over my dead body."_

"Huh."

"What?"

"Really? You said that?"

"Oi, do you want me to kick your ass off this rooftop? I said I stood up for her, are you calling me a liar?"

"No, it's just... well, it's kinda surprising. I mean, I'm so used to you being..."

"Difficult?"

"I was gonna say a dick... but sure, we can go with difficult."

And that's when I saw it, that insufferable grin of his when he knows he's reeled one of us in. Dammit, he always baits me like that... and I always fall for it! "Anyways, I'll skip that fight, you'd be bored to tears if you had to sit through it."

"That bad?"

I nodded at Naruto's question, my gaze turning back towards the town as the sun vanished over the horizon. "Worse. But there was something that happened at the end of the fight that you may get a laugh out of."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"Well, Candra got a little annoyed when someone managed to land a lucky shot on her, I believe she said..."

"_GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE SHITS! DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO GET MY HAIR TO STAY THIS WAY WHEN WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE? WELL, DO YOU?!"_

"Hah, you're right! This is hilarious!"

_I just stood there with a grin on my face as I watched the scene unfolding before my eyes, a furious Candra slowly stalking the last standing member of Grimoire Heart that had tried to ambush us. Lightning arced off of her trembling body as she approached them, the terrified mage lying in a heap at her feet. I turned towards the forest, my admiration for her rising at the sight of a half dozen or so limp bodies that she had taken out on her own. A bright flash of amber light to my left, followed by a shrill cry of pain and it was over, the last dark mage passing out from the pain._

"_That's the last of them. I can't believe those assholes singed my hair." I shook my head in amusement as she studied her burned hair for several moments, when a soft clapping drew my attention towards the treeline. I watched as a pair of men slowly approached us... well, one of them was a man, the other looked like some kind of man/goat mix. The unidentified man grinned broadly as he adjusted the glasses he wore, his gaze sweeping across the clearing before turning back towards Candra and I. _

"_Truly, the stories of your exploits were not overstated, Laxus Dreyer. It's fitting that you shall meet your end today at the hands of a pair of Demons such as ourselves. Caprico, if you would?"_

"_Hnn, very well, Rustyrose." That's when the manlike goat clapped loudly, each of the fallen mages glowing brightly before they disappeared from sight. Candra began backing away from the pair, her head shifting back and forth between the two of them until she stood at my side. "So, which one are you gonna take? Personally, I think I should take the guy with the.__.."_

"_You're going to run. I can't fight two S-Class dark mage's and watch out for you at the same time. Besides, Naruto would kill me if you got killed." _

"Damn right she shouldn't be fighting someone that powerful yet. I'm guessing that she didn't take it so well?"

"Oh no, she took it very well."

"_Dammit, don't you dare look down on me too! I can fight!" Looking towards Candra, I saw her expression fall as she angrily glared at me. But I wasn't going back on what I'd said. It didn't matter how angry she was, I knew that she wasn't ready to face either of them in a fight. It was a moot point since neither Rustyrose nor Caprico seemed inclined to let her run off, the goat faced mage having leaped into the air during our argument. As Caprico rapidly descended towards us, I scooped Candra up under my arm before sending a burst of lightning towards the falling mage. Imagine my surprise when he managed to contort around the attack, his leg lashing out towards my head as soon as he got close enough. I managed to get my arm up fast enough to block, but his kick was powerful enough to send both Candra and I flying through the air like we were rag dolls._

"Wait, he dodged a point blank lightning strike... from you? I thought that was a near instantaneous hit!"

"It is."

"And you got knocked down by a single kick? I've kicked you before and you're not that much of a wuss! What the hell happened?"

I sighed loudly as I tried to put into words what I thought Caprico's magic could do. "His magic was... strange. I'm not completely positive, but I could almost feel myself slowing down the more I fought him. Not to mention my attacks weren't as powerful as they should have been. It almost felt like he was slowly draining the Eternano from my body, just enough to avoid getting deep fried."

_As we flew through the air I managed to wrap my arms around Candra, cushioning her from the fall as we rolled along the ground. As I slowly got to my feet I glared at Candra, her willful expression never faltering as she tried to stare me down. "Fine, if your not going to run then watch my back wile I deal with Caprico! The other one looks like he's not much of a fighter, just keep him on his toes for a few minutes!" _

_Caprico took the time we spent arguing to spin around and race towards us once more, but now that I wasn't distracted I was ready for him. A random series of lightning strikes struck the ground before me, each blast sending the strange looking mage leaping further away from me as I took the time to study his movements. After I got a feeling for his abilities, I took the chance to look over my shoulder at Candra. I was just in time to see her whipping a long chain of electricity towards Rustyrose, his left arm glowing brightly as a golden shield appeared out of thin air in time to catch the chain. I smirked when I heard Rustyrose's pain filled scream, his shield providing a perfect conductor for Candra's power as she slowly began to fry him from the inside out. _

_Turning back towards Caprico, I managed to barely catch a glimpse of him before his outstretched leg slammed into my cheek. That blow was almost powerful enough to send me tumbling to the ground again, but since I wasn't trying to protect someone else I managed to right myself almost immediately. My left hand flashed brightly as I buried a lightning charged fist into his gut, I couldn't help but grin at the sight of my opponent as he gasped for air. My other fist glowed brightly as it crashed into his temple, the stunned Man-Goat slamming painfully into the ground. I was starting to think that we may get off easy this time when I heard the all too familiar sound of bones snapping at my back, the sound of Candra's pain filled cry that followed filled me with rage as I turned towards her. My eyes instantly found Candra as she cradled her broken arm against her chest, tears flowing down her cheeks as she tried to hold back her cries of pain. I remember growling angrily at the sight, my power arcing dangerously around me as I looked up... and up... and that's when I saw the massive creature that towered over us both. Rustyrose laughed loudly as the creature raised it's fist over our heads, his hand stretching out dramatically as he gestured towards us._

"_Crush them now, Belcusas!"_

"And that's when I showed up."

"Yep, that's when you showed up. So tell me, what you were doing when all of this was going on?"

I watched Naruto slowly push off of the railing, his hand stroking his chin for several moments as he gave me a thoughtful look. "Well, to make a long story short I was at a stalemate with Hades that forced me to run after blowing the shit out of their ship which allowed me to catch up with the rest of the girls after they'd gotten their asses handed to them by one of Grimoire Heart's top mages who I managed to beat cause he underestimated me and had no idea what my true abilities were and that's when my clone's memories informed me that Grimoire Heart had repaired their airship and it was on it's way to blow us all the hell up with their Jupiter Cannon and that's when I went after you two."

I could feel a sweat drop rolling down the back of my head as I watched Naruto suck in a deep breath of much needed air. "Oi, oi, how did you get that all out in a single breath?"

"Hey, when you've pulled as many pranks as me you learn how to get as much info out as fast as possible, it usually confuses the hell out of people and gives you a chance to run."

"Good point. You're going to have to explain some of that, you were a little light on the details."

* * *

><p><em>Well, once I knew that Grimoire Heart had managed to repair their ship, I had a feeling that they'd use the Jupiter Cannon that my clones had found during my visit. After all the shit I'd caused them, I'm pretty sure Hades wouldn't be happy unless he tried to blow the shit out of me, even at the expense of his own men. And so after I'd dealt with Azuma...<em>

"You never did tell me how that ended."

"Lets just say that he wasn't going to interfere and leave it at that."

_Anyways, after I dealt with Azuma I locked onto your beacon..._

"Whoa, hold on! What beacon?!"

"Oh please," I said, my voice dripping sarcasm as I turned towards the irate Lightning Mage. "As if I'd let you run wild after all the shit you've pulled throughout the years! It's just a locator, it lets me track you down if needed... not to mention I can use it to spy on you if I need to. I gotta say, that girl you met in Shirotsume was a real looker, I was surprised that you turned her offer down."

"Son of a... so that's how you always seem to know what happens to me? Hang on, who else do you have tagged in the guild like that?"

"Just you."

"Oi, that's not fair..."

"Deal with it. Anyways..."

_So after I locked onto your beacon I immediately homed in on you. When I reached the half way point I ran into Yomazu and Kawazu..._

"Who?"

"The girls call them Goat-chin and Chicken boy, for very obvious reasons. They're some kind of animal/human mix, like Caprico."

"Wait a minute, a second Man-Goat? Grimoire Heart is seriously messed up."

"True... now are you going to let me finish or what?"

"Sorry, go ahead."

_Anyways, I left a squad of clones to deal with them while I made my way towards you and Candra. And imagine my surprise when I saw you standing in front of Candra like a human shield, a metallic giant towering over the both of you with it's fist hanging over your heads. And when I heard Rustyrose give the order, that's when I decided I better get a move on. I still remember the look of surprise on your face as I appeared in front of you, the ground beneath me buckled as my arm easily held the straining creature at bay. "Yo, Laxus. Mission's scrubbed, get Candra out of here. I'll cover you both."_

"And that's when I grabbed Candra and hightailed it out of there. I hope you didn't go to easy on them, they did a real number on her." I turned back towards the city, my gaze focusing on the stars stretched out across the heavens as I thought of the best way to respond to Laxus' words.

"If we ever run into them again, I think you'll find that their not as confident as they once were. But that's not important, what is important is that I need you to do now is to stick with the girls till their all healed up, is that going to be a problem?" I gave Laxus a sidelong glance, my clenched fist extending towards him as I waited for his answer. All he did was sigh softly, his fist reaching out to softly bump against my own before he turned towards the stairwell. "Good. I've been gone too long, I need to talk with Jiji about what happened. After the girls are ready to go, bring'em back to Fairy Tail. They went AWOL to come after me and the council's cut them loose, so I think it's time they joined the family."

"Fine. Tell Jiji I'm on vacation for a while. I'll let you know when we're on our way back, so their better be lots of booze and food to welcome us home." As I watched his retreating back, I couldn't help but smirk at Laxus' remarks.

"Ya old softie. Well, better make my last rounds before I leave."

* * *

><p>I'd been avoiding this room for the entire day, each time I passed it I would pause for several moments at the door as I tried to work up the courage to go inside. I didn't want to see what was on the other side of the closed door, but I didn't have a choice anymore. I couldn't leave without saying goodbye, even if the room's occupant couldn't respond.<p>

As I silently entered the dark room, a shaft of moonlight illuminated the occupant of the lone bed, the sight of a heavily bandaged Elysia bringing tears to my eyes. I sat down in the chair at her bedside, my hand reaching out and brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Hey, kiddo. You really took a beating out there, but you're still hanging in there. I knew you had spunk from the moment I saw you, even though you were as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs." I laughed softly at the memory of the first time I had met Elysia and the others, it was a memory of a better time. "I've got to go away for a little while, but Laxus will be here to watch over all of you." I gently took one of her hands in my own, her skin warming my own as I squeezed her hand gently. "And when you're up and about, you'll be coming to join Fairy Tail. That is if you want to, I'm not going to make you..." My voice trailed off as I felt the hand nestled within my own gently twitching at my words. "Hmm, so you can hear me. Good. Get better soon, Elysia-chan. I'll see you soon. Love ya, kiddo."

I gently laid her hand on the bed once more before I leaned over her, a grin appearing before I kissed her forehead softly. As I stood once more, I swear I saw her smiling softly but after I blinked my eyes it was gone, a soft laugh passing my lips as I exited the room.

* * *

><p>The small town's night life had slowly died down, many of the shops have closed their doors hours earlier. As I stood at the doorway of the hospital, I aimed a grin at the tall tree at the front gate. "Okay, Laeta, come down from there so I can say goodbye." The sound of rustling leaves was my only answer, that is until I saw a dark shape leap from the tall tree and land at my feet. As she slowly stood, Laeta's head was bowed towards the ground, her long hair covering her eyes as she stood before me. Before I could say another word she threw her arms around me, her deceptively thin limbs squeezing me tightly as I placed my own arms around her. I had no more words to speak as I let Laeta hold me for as long as she needed. I grinned cheekily as she finally let me go, my hand reaching towards her as I tousled her hair. She finally looked me in the eye, her hands slapping at my own as she gave me a mock glare. "Stop being so serious. You can't protect them from everything, things happen that we can't stop. Even the most powerful person in the world is helpless at some point in their life. I'll see you later, keep an eye on the others."<p>

After receiving a small nod from my words I walked through the gate, my feet slowly leading me towards the edge of town. By the time I reached the outskirts of the village the deep blue of the night sky was slowly giving way to the rising sun, the sight of the oncoming morning bring a smile to my face. 'Time to head home, partner?'

Kurama's loud yawn was his only answer, but it was enough. We'd been gone too long, it was time to head home.

Several hours later

I stood atop a tall hill as I levelled an incredulous stare at the scene laid out before me. 'Kurama... did I take a wrong turn again?'

**'No. You didn't. We're right where you want to be.' ** I felt the muscles in my jaw twitching angrily as I looked down at the barren ground that should have been filled with the people and buildings that made up Magnolia.

'I think someone is going to have to get the beating of their life for this... hello, who's that?' I squinted at the sight of a far off figure, a sigh passing my lips once I recognized him.

"Mystogan."

* * *

><p>And so Naruto turned a failed mission into an intelligence gathering mission. Not as satisfying but in the end it will help later on. Please review and tell me if you enjoyed it.<p>

_Techniques used_

_HONŌ NO TSUBASA - Wings of Flame -A streamer of flame that can burn through almost any substance._

_AKUMA NO SHURYŪDAN – Devil's Hand Grenade - A large explosive orb that fragments into multiple, smaller bomblets once it hits it's target. _

_MUKŌNISURU: BASUTO - Nullify: Crush – A beam of nullification magic that can break any enchantment. The power required for the attack is immense, meaning that it is sparingly used in most circumstances._

_BAKUHATSU NO SAKEME – Explosive Rift - Aleta focuses her magical power through the ground, a line of explosive power reaching out towards her target before engulfing them in a massive explosion._

_KAZE NO MANTO – Wind Cloak - Futon Chakra is used to increase Naruto's speed past superhuman levels, as well as increasing the strength of his blows. Sage Mode is required for any form of physical combat when using this technique or else each hit Naruto lands will cause him severe injuries._

_SHORYUZAN – Rising Dragon Slicer - Naruto launches a Futon Dragon at his enemy, usually after throwing them into the air. This move must be used with Sage mode or else he will suffer severe damage to his stomach, throat and mouth. _


	16. Chapter 15

Hello everyone, I have returned! It's been a while since I've added anything to this story and for that I've got to say I am so sorry. That being said, I'm working on being more consistent with updates so we'll see how long that lasts. Before we get to the latest chapter, I do want to address a review from the last chapter:

"Sooo... 14 chapters, or 100k words into this... I have to say the whole 'Dimensional Traveler Naruto' title wasn't lived up to... heck the fact the resume said that Fairy Tail would be the 'First' place it went to... well it never left and the more I am reading the less likely it will move to another setting anytime soon, frankly when I got into this I expected a chapter in some lesser settings, or a few chapters into major ones... but this has been going on way too long."

So, in regards to this in case anyone else has the same thoughts... I DO NOT DO SHORT STORIES. This isn't like Dr. Who where he pops into a place for a short period of time then scampers off, Naruto is actually going to live in the universe he finds himself in for a significant period of time and become part of it. So if you don't like that... that's too bad, since I'm writing this story.

Anyways, onwards and upwards! Review and tell me what you think, it's what keeps me doing this!

* * *

><p>'Magnolia, a prosperous city that plays host to Fairy Tail. Thousands of innocent men, women and children... reduced to this.' Mystogan gritted his teeth at the sight of the barren wasteland, a stray gust of wind sending lifeless dust skittering through the air.<p>

"I'm guessing that you know what's going on, Jellal?" Swallowing loudly, Mystogan slowly looked over his shoulder into Naruto's determined gaze. "How about you tell me what I need to do to save Mira and the others and we'll call it even."

"Even?"

"Yes, even," Naruto said, the blonde slinging his arm around the shorter man's neck and squeezing gently. "I have the sinking suspicion that this is something you should have told Jiji about. And if you'd told him, he would have told me. He likes to use me to solve his really, really big problems after all. The others would just blow shit up and make an even bigger mess after all."

Smiling softly, Mystogan's head bowed towards the ground as he thought on Naruto's words. "You're right, they would. I've been doing this for so long on my own, I never thought of including anyone else in my self imposed quest."

Naruto sighed and scruffled the masked mage's head, the blonde stepping away from Mystogan and crouching down. Frowning thoughtfully, Naruto took a handful of the loose dust and peered at it intently. "This ground... it's dead. Every ounce of magical energy has been sucked out of it, it's nothing more than dust now."

"Anima. This is the work of the Anima."

Dropping the dead earth, Naruto stood tall and fixed Mystogan with a serious look. "Tell me everything."

Chapter 15

Groaning softly, Lucy's arm covered her closed eyes as she let out a pain filled groan. "Ugh... what happened?"

"You were nearly pulled into another world, Lucy-san." Eyes flying open in surprise, Lucy's gaze was met with the sight of the familiar wooden body.

"Horologium? What do you mean 'another world'? Where are we right now?"

"I'm sorry Lucy-san, but we've run out out of time. I apologize for this."

"Eh? What do you mean, Horologium?"

"I mean this." Lucy felt a sudden weightlessness surround her, her vision now filled with bright sunlight as she fell towards the ground.

"BAKA! GET BACK HERE!" Screaming shrilly, Lucy panicked as she tumbled out of control towards the fast approaching earth. But just when it looked like it was the end for her, a dark shape crashed into the falling blonde, powerful arms wrapping around the terrified girl as the pair crashed into a large mound of dust.

"Lucy! Hey, say something, are you alright? Oi!" Cracking her eyes open, Lucy felt tears gathering as she stared into Naruto's deep blue eyes. The shinobi's concerned gaze was the last straw, her arms wrapping around the taller blonde as she cried out in relief. "Shh, it's ok, I've got you. It's alright," Naruto said as he held the younger blonde in his arms, whispering words of comfort as she desperately clung to him. "You're safe now." Mystogan skidded to a halt beside the pair, his hand gently resting on Lucy's back as looked at her in awe.

"Lucy? But how? You should have been absorbed like the others when the Anima opened up."

Sniffling softly, Lucy peered over Naruto's shoulder and stared at Mystogan in shock. "Mystogan? What are you... wait a minute, where are we? The last thing I remember was being in the guild with the others and then... nothing."

"Don't worry about that right now, Lucy. Focus on me." Turning her attention back towards the man that held her, Lucy sniffled a few more times before nodding slowly. "That's it. Now, just take a deep breath and relax. Mystogan, can you give us a few minutes alone?"

Nodding at the shinobi's words, Mystogan rose to his feet and walked towards the centre of the barren plain surrounding the trio of mages.

"I know this'll be a shock, but the entire town has disappeared. I've already spoken with Mystogan and he's told me what's happened, but for right now I need you to tell me what happened since I went missing." Lucy wiped at her tears and glared at the blonde angrily.

"Do you know how worried Mira has been? It's been over two months since you disappeared, you jerk!"

Laughing nervously, Naruto gently scruffled Lucy's hair despite her protests. "Yeah, I kinda guessed that. Wanna give me a hand in calming her down?" Giving the nervous looking shinobi a calculating look, Lucy finally buried her face in the older blonde's chest and nodded firmly, her arms tightening around the blonde.

"I guess I have no choice really. If I let you do it on your own you'd probably just mess it up."

Laughing softly, Naruto patted the teen's back gently. "Well then, everything should be fine now that I've acquired your help. All we need to do is rescue Mira and the others and we can double team her. Tell me everything that's happened, Lucy."

Pulling away from Naruto, Lucy let out a deep breath before beginning her tale, from the confrontation with Laxus, to the joint guild mission to defeat Oracion Seis. Humming softly, Naruto quickly explained what had happened to the guild and the town, Lucy's expression turning to horror when she heard that her friends were going to be used as magical fuel. "That's horrible!"

"Well I feel the same way, which is why I think it's time we take care of this in the usual Fairy Tail manner."

Lucy gave the elder blonde a deadpan expression before replaying in an even tone. "You're going to blow everything up until they give you want you want, aren't you?

Blinking slowly, Naruto gave the teen a contemplative look. "Yes... how did you know that?"

"You do know I work with Natsu, right? That seems to be his default method of dealing with everything in life."

Smirking at the girl's returning wit, Naruto jumped to his feet and chuckled softly as he waved Mystogan over. "How true. Anyways, before you miraculously fell out of the air..."

"Damned clock better have a damn good reason for doing that..." Lucy muttered softly as she shook her clenched fist towards the heavens.

"Yes, well... it's time we get moving, the Anima over head isn't going to last forever. After we've passed through, we'll find Natsu, Happy and... what were their names again?"

Mystogan arrived in time to hear the question, a sigh passing his lips as he shook his head. "Wendy and Charla. If you're having problems remembering their names, write them down instead of asking me every five minutes."

Waving off the annoyed mage, Naruto turned his attention towards Lucy again. "Right, Wendy and Charla. After we've found them, we locate this Anima and do what Fairy Tail does best..."

"You mean we blow it to kingdom come and take down anyone that gets in our way?" Nodding happily at Lucy's words, the Celestial Spirit mage let out a whimper as she began to cry. "You're even worse than Natsu..."

"Lucy, who do you think taught Natsu how to break shit? That flame brained kid was nothing but a novice before I trained him! But enough of that, how are we going to reach the Anima?"

"I can handle that," Mystogan said while reaching for one of his staffs. "You'll have to stay close to each other, I only have enough of a charge for a single person."

Smirking playfully, Naruto scooped Lucy up in his arms. Squealing in surprise, the Celestial Spirit mage looked at the shinobi in shock. "Warn me when you're going to do that!"

"Aw, so you're saying it's ok if I do that with a warning beforehand? You're so naughty, Lucy, what would Mira say?"

Her cheeks puffing out angrily, Lucy slapped at the blonde's chest while she glared at the grinning shinobi. "J-just get us up there, baka!"

Naruto struggled to hold in his laughter as he turned towards Mystogan, both of them sharing a nod of respect. "I'll try and keep the collateral damage to a minimum. See you on the other side, Mystogan."

"Thank you, Naruto. I'll catch up once I've finished with my end of the plan." His staff glowing brilliantly, Mystogan waved his weapon towards the pair while softly whispering. A pale blue glow settled around the shinobi, his entire body slowly rising towards the far off whorl of energy overhead.

"YOSHA!" A burst of futon chakra sent Naruto and Lucy streaking towards the heavens, the young girl in his arms squealing loudly at the sudden acceleration.

"Slow down! Why are we going so fast?!"

"It's simple really," Naruto said as his grip tightened around his passenger. "We have to reach a minimum speed to even pass through the portal. But more importantly, when we pass through to the other side the spell we're using may fail. So depending on where we come out, the extra momentum will give us a few extra seconds of breathing space while I try and figure out a way to save our lives."

Her eyes widening in fear, Lucy's head slowly turned until she was looking into the shinobi's smiling visage. "W-w-we're g-g-gonna fall!?"

"Oh, it's not the fall that'll kill you, it's the impact! Stop worrying so much, we'll be fine!"

"I've changed my mind," Lucy screamed as she tried to squirm out of the shinobi's grip. "Take me back!"

"Too late!" Laughing softly, Naruto turned away from the scared girl and focused his stern gaze on their target. The pair streaked through the clear sky for several moments before passing through the heart of the opening, the distortion in the sky disappearing silently as Mystogan watched his friends disappear.

* * *

><p>Lucy screamed loudly as she clung to Naruto with a death grip, powerful gusts of wind buffeting the pair as they flew through the spacial distortion. 'Dammit, he really is more reckless than Natsu!'<p>

Giggling maniacally as the pair sailed through the vortex, Naruto ignored Lucy's angry shouting while increasing his speed. Streaks of bright light passed the pair until suddenly they found themselves in the midst of multiple floating islands. _ 'Ok, now those are cool. How are they even floating like that?'_

_**'Magic. This place is almost completely barren of the stuff, but there is some on these islands so I'm guessing it's how they keep... oh. Oh. Ohhhhhhh.'**_

_'What? What is it, Kurama?'_ Naruto turned all of his attention inward, the real world faded away as he found himself standing in front of his partner. Looking upwards, Naruto cocked an eyebrow at the sight of the titanic fox laughing his head off, his immense body shaking with mirth. "Ok, this is new. It's also kinda freaking me out, do you mind?"

Shaking his gigantic muzzle slowly, Kurama smirked as he turned towards his container. ** "Well, I only do it on special occasions. And so I thought, since we're in a world almost completely devoid of magic it was as good a time as any to indulge in some victorious laughter."**

"Victorious laughter? What the hell do you... " Naruto's questions trailed off as he cocked his head to the side, his arms slowly rising to eye level. His eyes blinking slowly, Naruto swallowed loudly at the sight of the flame-like tattoos branded to his arms as they glowed brightly in the dark cavern. "Kurama? Why are they glowing like that?"

"**Since I've been stuck here with nothing to do for years, I've learned everything I can about these things. They're similar in composition to the seals that you use, but they use magic as a secondary component."**

"Yeah, I know, we've already talked about that before. Tell me something that I don't know."

"**The seals feed off the ambient magical energy in the atmosphere to maintain their integrity."**

"That... I did not know."

"**Well, what's one more thing for the list?"**

"Oh shut it, Fur ball. So if they feed off magic and we're in a magically deficient world then..."

"**Yes?"**

"That means, " Naruto said, a look of elation growing as he held out a clenched fist towards the massive fox. "they're nothing more than the seals we normally use, which we know how to screw up. So it looks like you'll be coming out to play again?"

"**Well, eventually. It's going to be a delicate process, the seals are still extremely complex. If I use too much of my chakra at once then the backlash could permanently burn out your entire chakra network."**

"That's bad."

"**Yes, that is bad. I'll keep an eye on the process and let you know if there are any problems. But in the meantime, I think you better get back outside. That girl that's clinging to you is getting a little antsy, what with the both of you falling into the ocean."**

"Eh?" Blinking rapidly, Naruto awoke from his inner world and was greeted by the high pitched screams of his companion as they fell towards a large body of water.

"DAMMIT, WAKE UP! WE'RE GOING TO DIE, I'M TO CUTE TO DIE LIKE THIS! I'VE NEVER EVEN SLEPT WITH A GUY YET!"

"Stop screaming and hang on!" Concentrating on one of the bracers he wore, Naruto felt the familiar rush of Kurama's chakra surge through him while he looked towards the nearest floating island. A portion of his aura streaked towards the island looming overhead, the stream of golden energy soon forming a massive paw that latched onto the edge of the floating landmass. Their sudden fall arrested, Lucy panted for breath as she turned her tear streaked face towards the grinning shinobi. "Now that wasn't so bad! Oh yeah, if you want me to help with that pesky virginity you'll need to discuss the logistics of that with Mira."

* * *

><p>Humming softly, a young man let out a self satisfied sigh, his body having finally found a comfortable position against the tree he'd selected for his nap. 'You know what? It's good to be me right now.' The relaxed bandit was a mirror image of Earthland's Bora, minus the cocky expression he normally wore. Folding his arms against his belly and closing his eyes, Bora's thoughts turned to where he'd been a year past. A frown marring his relaxed visage as he recalled how his dreams and aspirations had fallen apart. 'After all, it doesn't matter how many bandits you have if the Royal Army catches wind of your location.'<p>

Bora had been part of the upper echelon's of a very large group of bandits, a group that he had been part of for several years. But during a raid that had been conducted by the Royal Army, the bandit had taken the first opportunity he'd seen to run, abandoning the brigands and looters he'd thought of as his comrades in an instant. He'd spent several days wandering without food or water, the terrified bandit having decided that death from dehydration or starvation was preferable to rotting away in the King's dungeon. But just as he'd given up hope, Bora stumbled across several members of the Gōtō no Jinkei(Bandits of Mercy).

Some of them recognized him despite his deplorable state and brought him before their leader, his dark eyes boring into the weakened man as he bowed before him. After recounting his tale, the notorious bandit known as Erigor ordered his men to feed Bora and tend to his wounds. Bora declared his loyalty to the man on the spot, securing a spot in the organization when the infamous brigand felt that the man would prove useful.

'And the rest is, as they say, history. I may not be in a position of authority, but I've had my fill of responsibility. Give me a cushy job like lookout and I'll gladly do it...' Bora's train of thought derailed at the faint sound of a girl screaming, his eyes flying open in surprise as he faintly heard the sound of s meaty thwack. The suddenly alert bandit jumped to his feet and scanned the cloudy sky stretching out before him. When he saw nothing in the air, Bora inched towards the edge of the island, the clearly scared bandit leaning over the edge and looking at the far off ocean below him. 'But that's impossible, the only way to get onto the island from this side is via Legion. But the sky has been clear all day, so where did that noise come from?'

His fear abating somewhat, Bora shook his head as he looked upwards, the confused thief squinting at the cloud filled heavens. "Bah, I've been out here too long, I'm starting to hear things." Turning back towards his tree, Bora had only taken a few steps before a violent tremor threw him to the ground. While the ground shook violent beneath him. Bora rolled onto his back and stared fearfully as a massive glowing paw appeared out of nowhere, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly as he scurried towards the nearby forest. Peeking around his wooden barricade, Bora panted for breath as his heart continued hammering against his chest. 'Oh kami, what is this?! This assignment is supposed to be a cake walk, nothing ever comes to this side of the island!'

His fear growing as the seconds stretched out, Bora nearly bolted for the forest and the bandit camp when a very human hand reached up over the edge of the island, his eyes widening as the glowing paw vanished. A young woman grunted loudly as she struggled over the side, her breath coming out in great big gasps as she fell flat on her back. Cocking hie head to the side, Bora watched in confusion as the teenager giggled softly, her breath still coming out in gasps as she just lay there. Standing up, Bora pulled a knife from his belt and strode towards the unsuspecting girl, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at the bizarre situation. But once he was within reach of the girl, the familiar touch of cold steel against his throat froze Bora in his tracks. "Alright then, drop the knife. Nice and slow, we wouldn't want my hand to slip."

Tears falling freely, Bora dropped his knife and raised his hands towards the sky. Hearing another soft giggle, Bora turned his attention towards the beautiful blonde, her heart stopping grin nearly causing him to groan aloud. "Hello, I'm Lucy. The big scary guy behind you is Naruto. I'd do what he says, I think he's kinda cranky since I slapped him a few minutes ago."

"Damn right I'm annoyed, it was just a joke! But she's right, I do have some questions so let's talk, Mr...?"

Tensing when he felt the man's dagger lightly dig into the soft flesh of his neck, Bora got the hint and sucked in a shuddering breath. "Bora." With all of his attention on the blade laying across his throat, Bora nearly missed the girl's surprised reaction to his name. Pushing herself to her feet, the blonde narrowed her eyes and approached the petrified man, her head cocking to the side as she leaned in closely.

"Wow... I almost didn't recognize you, but it really is you. Well, you're not the Bora I know, but I think I really should give you what he deserves." Blinking in confusion at the blonde's words, Bora felt a shiver running up his spine as the beautiful blonde ran her finger slowly down her chest, a playful smile adorning her lips. Despite the dagger at his neck, Bora couldn't help but feel a small thrill at the intimate contact. This only lasted until she grabbed a fistful of his shirt, her playful expression turning to fury as she savagely rammed her knee into his crotch.

Bora screamed in agony as fell to the ground, his body curling up on itself as he tried to protect himself from any more blows. But all he felt was a foot on his shoulder, his pain filled body rolling limply onto his back. His eyes cracking open, Bora was greeted by the grinning visage of the man that had captured him.

"Heh, guess you're a bastard in both worlds. Now, how about we have that conversation..."

Meanwhile...

Harsh gasps for air echoed throughout a small dark room, it's sole occupant trying to hold back her tears as she slowly banged the back of her head against the stout door at her back. 'It's really Natsu... the Natsu and Happy that I know!' Her hands covered her mouth as she choked back a sob as happiness and sadness warred within her. 'I'm so happy to see them both, but I can't go home, it would break both Mira-nee and Elf-nii's hearts if I told them who I really was!'

Sniffling softly, Lisanna gently wiped at her tears before reaching for her left glove. A watery grin appeared as she pulled the glove free, her fingers tracing the intricate seal that Naruto had placed on her several years earlier. 'If only you were here, Naruto-nii. I just wanted to see you one more time so I could say goodbye properly. Although,' Lisanna thought, a wry grin forming as she rested her head against the door. 'Maybe it's better that you're not here right now. You did kind of overreact whenever I was involved.'

* * *

><p>"... And we have over 2000 bandits separated into 15 different groups, each of them reporting back to Erigor. We normally hit targets related to the Royal army, we have a contact in the palace that feeds us information regarding patrols and convoys in the area. Please, I don't know anything else!"<p>

Standing near the edge of the island, Lucy whistled softly at the sight of Bora's interrogation. "Wow, he's a real pushover, ain't he?"

Shaking his head, the original Naruto gave Lucy a sidelong glance before looking back at the blubbering man and his clone. "Well, it's not really fair to put him up against someone like me. I was more or less raised by a man that kept an entire village of super powered soldiers under his thumb with nothing more than charisma, diplomacy and the most devious mind I have EVER seen. And he was the NICE one, Ibiki would have already brought out the thumbscrews and drills."

Lucy's eyes widened in surprise at the blonde's words, her head snapping towards the grinning blonde in time to catch him giving her a wink. Turning towards their prisoner, Naruto walked towards the impromptu interrogation and placed a hand on his clone's shoulder, pulling the construct away from the cowering man before addressing him. "And is that everything?"

Glancing furtively towards the ground, Bora glanced at the taller blonde before looking away shamefully. "I wet my bed until I was fourteen."

Sighing softly, Naruto crouched in front of Bora and shook his head. "I can't keep holding him back, but if you can't give us anything we can use..."

"He doesn't all his fingers," Naruto's clone said, a kunai appearing in his hand in an instant. "Or I could take his thumbs. Hell, a man can still function in day to day life while missing an entire hand, can't he?"

"No! Wait! T-t-the King is planning something big, something to do with that massive l-l-lacrima that appeared out of nowhere!"

"Really? Tell me mo..." Shooting to his feet, Naruto turned towards the southern edge of the island. Ignoring Lucy's concerned questions, Naruto stared at the nearby landmass while he struggled to control his breathing.

_'But that's impossible! Mira and the few others I've marked are in the East, I can feel them all the way over there! And I never tagged Happy or Natsu with that tracker seal! But who else...no no no no no no, that's not possible, she's dead...'_

_**'Dead or not, it's the only thing that makes sense, brat. Finish up with your play time and get a move on, we need to find whomever triggered that seal. And may Kami have mercy on their souls if we don't like what we find.'**_

Turning towards the still cowering Bora, Naruto created several more clones before grabbing his prisoner and slamming him roughly against a stout tree. "Alright, enough playing around. You're going to tell my clones everything you know about that lacrima after you tell me how to get off of this island."

"But..."

"Alright, which hand do you want to lose, left or right?"

"Wait, WAIT! T-t-the eastern plateau, there's several small islands that we use l-l-like stepping stones ! Their connected together by bridges, but you'll never make it past the guards stationed there!"

"I'll worry about that, you just tell the nice group of clones I'm going to leave you with what ever else they want to know. Oh, and make sure to tell them where the nearest town is." His hands releasing the trembling man, Naruto left the blubbering man with his clones while he approached Lucy. "We've got a problem. I need to check on something to the south while you head towards the nearest town and wait for me there. If you run into Natsu and I haven't arrived, go with him and I'll catch up."

"What? Are you insane, I'm not letting you leave me behind!"

Sighing in aggravation, Naruto placed his hands on Lucy's shoulders and stared into her angry eyes. "I HAVE to go. I can't ignore this, if I did I would never be able to live with myself. And I'm sorry, but you'll only slow me down, Jet's the only one in the guild that has a hope of keeping up with me and you're not him. I WILL catch up with you, it's a promise. And you should know by now how important that is to me. I'll send a clone or two with you as backup, they'll let me know if you find Natsu. Trust me, we'll get everyone back."

Lucy chewed on her lower lip as she studied the older blonde's serious expression. After several moments she nodded in agreement, the shinobi letting out a relived sigh. His smile returning, Naruto turned towards the eastern section of the island. "Now, how do we get past the guards Bora mentioned... heheheh, oh yes. I know exactly what we need to do." Lucy backed away slowly from the cackling blonde, one of her eye's twitching as she cautiously watched the manic sounding blonde.

'Scary...'

Coughing loudly, Naruto cleared his throat before turning towards Lucy, an apologetic smile appearing as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Sorry about that, I got a little excited. Now, let's get you sorted out." Raising his hands in front of him, half a dozen clones appeared around the grinning blonde. "These guys'll get you off the island and make sure that you make it to," Naruto paused, the memories of the clones he'd created to grill Bora having finally filtered down to him as they dispersed. "Louen. Oh right, one more thing." Reaching into his weapons pouch, Naruto pulled out a small vial that he placed in Lucy's hand. "Take one of those and then give them to Natsu and Wendy when you see them."

"What are they?" Holding the glass vial aloft, Lucy tilted her head to the side as she studied the small spheres that it contained.

"X-Balls. Mystogan said you'd need them if you wanted to use your magic. Oh, wait a minute! I just thought of a great prank to play on Natsu!" Leaning forward, Naruto wrapped an arm around Lucy's shoulder and whispered softly in her ear. After several moments the teen burst out in a fit of giggles, her closed fist gently thumping against the shinobi's chest.

"That's terrible! I couldn't possibly... I'll do it." Nodding firmly, Lucy pulled away from the grinning adult and gave him a jaunty salute. "You can count on me, sir!"

Chuckling softly, Naruto backed away from the young woman and watched one of his clones scoop her up in his arms, his fellow constructs chasing after the pair as they took to the trees. Naruto waited in silence until his clones and Lucy disappeared from sight, the silent shinobi turning his attention towards his prisoner. "Now, it's time to take care of you."

Bora whimpered fearfully, the bound bandit trying to crawl away from the advancing shinobi. But all too soon the powerful blonde's hand latched onto Bora's shirt, hoisting the terrified man in the air. Bora and Naruto locked gazes for several moments, the blonde's serious expression causing Bora's fear to soar out of control. "Please, p-p-please don't ki..."

"It's time to let you get back to your friends!" Naruto gently placed the terrified man on his feet, his hand reaching out and brushing some lint from his shoulders before patting him on the arm in a friendly manner.

"Eh?" Blinking slowly at the blonde's words and actions, Bora's mouth slowly opened in closed in surprise several times.

"Well yeah, we don't need to kill you. After all, that'd just be a waste. I'll send a few clones with you just to make sure you make it back to your camp, after all I'd like to discuss a few things with your boss."

One more cross shaped hand sign and four more clones appeared amid bursts of smoke, one of the constructs taking Bora's arm and leading him into the forest. As soon as he was alone, Naruto cackled softly before taking a deep breath. "Now that I've had my fun, it's time I got serious." Turning towards the edge of the island, Naruto's feet dug deeply into the rocky ground as he ran for the edge of the island. Just before he ran over the edge, the blonde leaped into the air, his expression unwavering as he plummeted towards the ocean below. The final bit of biju chakra store in his bracer his bracer mixed with his own, the familiar golden energy covering the blonde moments before he crashed into the placid ocean. A massive spout of water rose into the air, waves crashed noisily against the nearby coastline. The glowing blonde ignored all of this as he turned his serious gaze southward.

* * *

><p>Pausing in his trek towards Louen, Natsu raised his hand to shield his eyes from the blazing sun as he turned towards the west . "Huh."<p>

"Natsu-san? Why did you stop?" Turning towards his companions, Natsu scratched his cheek idly while staring at his fellow Dragon Slayer.

"Hmmm...Wendy? what's the word where you've been proven right when no one believed you?"

Humming softly as she thought for a moment, Wendy missed the sight of both Charla and Edo-Lucy giving her and exasperated look. Her patience running out within moments, Edo-Lucy sighed explosively before throwing her hands into the air. "Can't this wait? We need to get a move on, it'll be dark soon! I don't know about you, but I don't want to be stuck out in the wilds when the sun goes down."

"No, this is important. We have to do this now." Folding his arms against his chest, Natsu nodded sagely as he closed his eyes.

"Do you mean justified?"

Humming softly, Natsu considered the word for several moments before shaking his head. "No, it's close, but it's not quite right. I thinking the word I'm looking for starts with a v..."

"Vindicated?"

Nodding happily, Natsu slapped his fist into his upturned palm happily. "Yes, that's it! I feel vindicated!"

"Just what the hell are you going on about?" The happy Dragon Slayer turned towards their annoyed guide, his serious expression unnerving Edo-Lucy badly enough that she took several steps back.

"Simple. I feel vindicated for thinking that Naruto is one scary son of a bitch. Let's go, we've got a lot of ground to cover!"

Turning towards their destination, Natsu began whistling a jaunty tune as he continued their trek towards Louen once more. Blinking her eyes slowly at the strange teen, Lucy turned towards the others and was met by shrugged shoulders and looks of confusion. 'You know what, I give up. I don't understand half the shit that these weirdos talk about anyways.'

Several hours later...

Louen, a remote town located four days away from the capitol. It's remoteness lead to a certain amount of lawlessness within and without it's walls, but the garrison of the Royal Army was generally visible enough to keep the peace for the most part. The majority of their time was taken up dealing with the groups of brigands in close proximity to the town, which meant that Naruto's clone could take advantage of the gaps in their patrols when sneaking over the lightly guarded wall. Exiting from an alleyway, a pair of blondes blended in with the few groups of people milling about as they linked arms. "Rule number one when you're on the run, is to not run."

Nodding at his words, Lucy silently scanned the street for anything suspicious as she stuck close to the older shinobi. "And what's the next rule?"

"Well it's one thing that you're terrible at. Rule two is to blend in, no matter what. But with a body like that," The clone said, his gaze taking in Lucy's curves for several moments. "It's almost impossible for that to happen."

"Well I'm sorry that I've wrecked your plans... and shouldn't you be keeping your eyes to yourself? I'm sure that Mira wouldn't like it that your eyes are wandering, even though you're just a clone."

Laughing softly, the chakra construct gave the teen on his arm a lopsided grin. "When Mira and I were first going out we had a discussion about this exact topic. Now how did she put it... oh yeah, 'You're not dead, so it's inevitable that you'll look at other girls. Just make sure you stay within the boundaries I give you and we'll be fine'."

"Boundaries?"

"Yep, boundaries. Some girls are jealous of anyone they see near their man, but Mira knows that people like to mess around with me, especially women. So she lets me get away with certain... liberties, I guess you'd say, with specific people."

"What kind of liberties?" Smirking happily, Naruto neglected to answer's his companion's question as he spotted a cafe at the end of the street. "Oi, what kind of liberties?"

"Well, some girls I'm allowed to touch. Things like hugs and simple stuff. Others I can go further, like a kiss or cuddle. And others..." Naruto's voice trailed off, his head turning towards the teen and giving her a meaningful look.

"Wait, seriously? But, in the tower, Mira went nuts when Millianna was hanging all over you."

"Of course she did," The clone said, Lucy's expression turning becoming indignant as he came to a halt in the middle of the street. "A completely unknown cute girl hanging all over me? That's like leaving Natsu in a china shop, which we did for fun once. The results were not pretty." When his companion declined to respond, Naruto gently pulled the teen towards the nearby eatery.

"Wait, you mean that offer from before was REAL?"

"Yep, it was real," Naruto said, a grin appearing as he sat at an outdoor table and stared at the blushing girl. "Mira likes you. She said if it ever came up that you should talk it over with her. Don't worry, I'm not going to jump you or anything, nothing's been set in stone yet so you're completely safe with me."

Her blush slowly fading, Lucy began to relax in her seat when Naruto placed his elbows on the table. "For now, that is."

Laughing loudly as she let out a loud squeak of surprise, Naruto leaned back in his chair and raised his hand towards the waiter. After taking their order, Naruto gave the silent girl a happy look. "Alright over there?"

"One of the strongest men in Fairy Tail is a playboy..." Chuckling softly, Naruto gave the flustered girl a wink.

"Oh come on, a playboy is someone that actively looks for more women, like Loke. I on the other hand..."

"Excuse me, could the both of you please put your hands on the table and surrender peacefully?"

Turning his head towards the nasally voice, Naruto gave the armoured man that stood looming over them a withering glare. "I'm sorry, is it standard procedure to arrest people that are sitting down for lunch?"

"No," The solder said, several of his men moving in and encircling the pair at a wave of his hand. "But it is standard procedure to arrest a dark mage on sight. Now where are your other companions, Lucy of Fairy Tail? The pink haired man and the little girl with him could not have gone far, it's no use hiding them."

Grinning evilly, Naruto turned to Lucy and nodded towards the soldiers. "Good, they're here. Go ahead and take'em out, Luce."

Eyes widening in surprise, Lucy quickly looked at the soldiers before turning back towards the clone. "Me?!"

"Yeah, you. Come on, you're a part of Fairy Tail too. Live a little, have some fun."

Glaring angrily at the clone's cocky expression, Lucy slammed her hands onto the table and pushed herself out of her chair. Rounding on the soldiers that surrounded the pair, Lucy pulled a key free before raising it to the sky.

"**Open the Gate of the Scorpion! Scorpio!"**

* * *

><p>"I thought that you two were supposed to be some kind of kick ass powerful mages. Turns out your worse than a novice." Growling angrily, Natsu shook a angry fist at the familiar, yet different, sight of Edo-Lucy<p>

"Oi, it's not our fault your magic sucks!"

Growling angrily, Edo-Lucy leaned into Natsu's personal space and jabbed a finger into his chest several times. "We screw you, Mr. Dragon Slayer! It's all we've got so you better learn to appreciate it pretty damn fast!"

Sitting quietly on the other side of the shack, a wide eyed Happy and Wendy silently watched the confrontation while Charla continued to slowly pace the room.

"Well you better get out of my face before I... hang on a second." Sniffing loudly, Natsu's eyes tightened as he turned towards the shack's entrance. "I know that scent!" Ignoring the panicked shouts of his companions as he burst out of the shack, Natsu ran towards the end of the street and skidded to a stop at the sight that greeted him.

"**SAND BUSTER!" **Gritting his teeth, Natsu used his arms to protect himself from the blowing sand that tore down the street. Multiple soldiers crashed into the ground in a heap, their pain filled groans eliciting a grin from the Dragon Slayer.

"That's what you get for trying to attack our Lucy. Oi, Lucy!" Waving happily at the sight of his teammate, Natsu grabbed Lucy's forearm and started pulling her away from the fallen soldiers. "Come on, we've got to go!"

"But what about Naruto?"

"Naruto? I don't see Naruto."

"How can you not see him, he's right there!" Pointing towards the cafe, Lucy's mouth dropped at the sight of empty tables occupying the patio. "Oh that bastard, he ran out on me!"

"I didn't run out on you, Lucy." Squealing in surprise, Lucy hid behind her pink haired teammate and peeked out his shoulder at the shinobi perched on a nearby balcony.

"Baka! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"As funny as this is, you two better get going. There's a lot more soldier's on their way, I'll hold them off."

"Naruto." Turing towards Natsu, the clone nodded in greeting at the Dragon Slayer before giving him a grin.

"Natsu. I'll meet up with you at the capitol, something's come up that I need to take care of."

"I know, see if you can convince her to come with us."

"Huh, so you've seen her. Is she alright?"

Nodding slowly, Natsu gave the blonde a sad look. "Yeah, she looked alright. She wouldn't talk to us though."

"Hang on," Lucy said as her head swivelled back and forth between both men. "Exactly who are you two talking about?"

"It's nothing, Lucy. Just some old guild business. Now, get going you two, I'll handle the guards!" Natsu gave the blonde a curt nod before he pulling Lucy towards a nearby alley, the pair disappearing moments before the soldiers arrived. Chuckling loudly, Naruto's clone leaped from his perch and slowly approached the squad of soldiers, his left arm slowly rotating in a circle as he massaged his shoulder. "Now then, I'll give you one chance to run. I suggest you take it."

Later that night...

Silence was a rare thing to experience in a Fairy Tail guild hall, regardless of which world you found yourself inhabiting. But for once the normally boisterous guild was actually quiet as each of it's members reflected on the strange events that had happened that day. As the desert heat gave way to the evening's cold chill, everyone began their preparations to sleep while a lone pair straightened up the main hall under the protective gazes of Jet and Droy.

Mirajane Strauss let out a self satisfied sigh at the sight of the immaculate room, her thoughts turning dark for a moment as she thought of what her friends would do to her immaculate barroom in the morning.

'Sometimes I wonder why I even bother.' A fond grin slowly grew as Mira looked towards the silent pair of guards sitting in a dark corner, but her good cheer vanished at the sight of Lisanna standing over a table she'd started cleaning over half an hour ago. Nodding resolutely to herself, Mira approached the distracted teen and gently pulled at the cloth clutched between her hands. Lisanna jumped in surprise, her hands reflexively reaching for the rag. Nut Mira was quicker, her hands grabbing Lisanna's and leading the frowning girl towards a nearby table.

"Mira-nee, give me that, I'm still have tables to clean." Arching an eyebrow as she studied her sister's annoyed expression, Mira released Lisanna's hand and sat down.

"You had tables to clean, Lisanna. You've been staring at that table while I just finished up. What's wrong?"

Swallowing loudly, Lisanna's became fidgety and evasive as she tried to get away from her sister's expectant gaze. "Nothing, it's just been a long day."

"Lisanna," Mira said, her eyes hardening as she stared at her sister. "Sit down."

After several moments of silence she sighed explosively, the younger Strauss sibling giving into her elder sister's order as she sat in the chair. Mira nearly giggled at the petulant expression that Lisanna wore as she folded her arms against her chest and glared at Mira. "Fine, I'm sitting. Now what?"

Mira's expression grew concerned at Lisanna's annoyed tone. "Lisanna, what's wrong? You've been acting strangely ever since those mages from Earthland left. Did they say something to you?"

Chewing her lip, Lisanna nervously placed her hands on the table and tapped away at the wooden surface. "No." Undaunted by the monosyllabic answer, Mira reached forward and clasped Lisanna's hands in her own, her head tilting left and right as she looked into her sister's eyes.

"Lisanna, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong. Haven't we always stuck together? You, Elfman and I?" Mira watched as her sister's stony expression slowly softened, tears gathering in her eyes as she finally met her sister's gaze.

"Yeah, we have."

"So tell me what's wrong then, we'll work it out."

Lisanna took in a deep breath while looking towards the ceiling, a few stray tears coursing down her cheeks as she squeezed her eyes shut. Pulling a hand free, she swiped at her eyes before flashing her sister a watery smile. "Ok, you win. Those mages from Earthland... they got me thinking of someone I haven't seen in long time. Someone very special to me."

Her curiosity peaked, Mira scooted closer to her sister and gave her a sly grin. "This 'special person' wouldn't happen to be a boy, would it?" Lisanna's glare in response to Mira's words caused her to giggle happily, her concern fading as she continued to laugh.

"Mira-nee, it's not like that! Naruto-nii had someone really special to him already!"

"Naruto-nii, eh? So that's the name of this mystery man... tell me about him, Lisanna."

Grumbling softly about meddlesome sisters, Lisanna let out a tired sigh. "Fine, I give up. Naruto-nii... he was amazing. Imagine hair the colour of the sun and eyes as blue as the ocean, not to mention a smile that could melt the coldest heart. And he was strong, stronger than anyone I've ever met."

"Strong, eh? Let me guess, he was as dumb as an ox?"

Giggling softly, Lisanna's hands covered her mouth while shaking her head. "You'd think that he was if you saw him, he always had this air of silliness around him. But when he needed to, he could be so serious, decisive, cunning. It was almost like he was a whole different person when he needed to be."

Humming softly, Mira looked towards a nearby window with a grin. "Hmm, sounds like my kind of man. Attractive, strong, smart... so where did you meet him?" Turning back towards her sister, Mira's expression grew concerned at the sight of Lisanna's pale face. "Lisanna? What's wrong?"

Her head shaking slowly, Lisanna's hands wrapped around herself as she looked towards the floor. "When... when I went missing, t-that's when I met him."

Before she could say any more, the sound of the guild hall's front door slamming shut caused Mira to jump in shock, her head turning towards the entrance in surprise. A cloaked figure stood in front of the closed portal, a tall walking staff clutched in wrinkled hands while his hooded head slowly took in the nearly empty room. "Hmmm, I've never noticed an inn in these parts before, is it new?"

A scowling Jet rose from his table, the rail thin man approaching what appeared to be a old traveller and jabbed a finger towards his chest. "If I were you, traveller, I'd leave right now. This isn't an inn and you're not welcome here."

"Oh come now," The cloaked man said, his reedy voice carrying a hint of a smile as he addressed the group. "You wouldn't be so rude to turn away a tired traveller, would you? All I ask is that you give me some time to rest my weary bones and maybe sell me a few supplies. It' won't be long before I'm on my way, I guarantee it."

Droy rose from his seat, his scowl matching his partner's as he stood at Jet's side. "You need to leave, traveller, or else we'll make you leave. It's your choice."

Mira quickly stood as the watched the situation begin to spiral out of control, a winsome smile appearing as she turned to the three men at the door. "Jet, Droy, leave him alone. He just needs something to eat and he'll be on his way, isn't that right?" Giggling softly as the hooded man nodded happily, Mira gestured at the table she was sharing with Lisanna. "Well then, come join my sister and I and we'll get you sorted out. Jet, Droy, you can head up, we shouldn't be long."

Flashing the scowling men a shaky victory sign, the cloaked man slowly hobbled towards the table as Jet and Droy reluctantly went to their quarters. A wheezy chuckle escaped the old man's lips as approached the indicated table, the barmaid leaving her sister with the old man as she made her way towards the bar. Her hands passing over several items that were leftover from the rest of the day, Mira's gaze turned towards the seated man every few moments as he spoke with Lisanna. 'Even though he appears to be harmless, there's no reason not to be cautious. And if he tries anything with Lisanna then Kami help him...'

* * *

><p>Lisanna waited patiently as the old man leaned his heavy staff against the wall, his wrinkled hands resting on the heavy wooden table as he gently lowered himself into the chair. The self satisfied sigh he released triggered a giggle from the teen, the stranger's hooded gaze slowly shifting towards her. "Oh, you think that's funny, eh? Just you wait until you're as old as I am, yer bones'll feel the same after a long day's journey."<p>

Slapping her hands against her mouth, Lisanna felt her cheeks grow warm at the gentle reprimand. "I'm sorry, that was rude..."

"Hah!" Her eyes widening in surprise, Lisanna watched as the old man leaned back in his chair and slapped at his knee, a loud laugh escaping him while his shoulders shook in mirth. "Kids these days, always so serious. It's alright, it's nothing I haven't heard before. Why you remind me of a young scamp I knew, she was always poking fun at me whenever she got the chance to." Her eyes tightening mock anger, the old man giggled at Lisanna's reaction when Mira suddenly appeared, the bar maid placing a large platter of food before him.

"I'm afraid all we have left are some leftovers from earlier in the day, if you like..." Waving away her worries, the old man clapped his hands together happily and dug into the plate of food. Mira beamed happily as he tore into the slapdash meal, the elder Strauss silently sliding into a seat beside him.

Mira and Lisanna shared a grin at the sight of the old man as he happily devoured the fare, the happy sounds of contentment making him seem even more harmless than before. After several minutes of frenzied eating, the cloaked man leaned back and let out a soft belch, both Strauss sisters giggling at the content sound. "Ooof, now I'm too full..."

"Well then, how about a drink?" Reaching towards a nearby table, Mira grabbed a large bottle and several glasses, placing each item in the centre of their table. Reaching out for the bottle, the old man studied the label for several moments before letting out a bark of laughter. "My my, this appears to be quite potent... were you hoping to get me liquored up so you could take advantage of me, Mira-san?"

Eyes widening in surprise, Mira's jaw dropped in shock at the old man's words. "WHAT?! No, I just..." Mira's voice trailed off as the old man began to giggle loudly, his laughter causing Lisanna to join in at her sister's reaction to the cloaked man's quip. Cheeks burning hotly, Mira glared at the laughing pair before she crossed her arms against her chest. "Jerks."

Both the old man and Lisanna's laughter continued at Mira's reaction, their good cheer soon eroding the girl's ire as she began to giggle softly. Grabbing the offered glasses, the old man poured himself a glass and swiftly gulped it down. "Wow, that's the good stuff. But I hate to drink alone, so would you please share a drink with me?"

Her eyes widening in excitement, Lisanna gave Mirajane a pleading gaze. "Can we share a drink with him, Mira-nee? Please?"

Scowling in mock anger, Mira wagged her finger at her sister. "Do you remember what happened the last time you had a drink? You nearly started dancing on the table! You're too much of a lightweight, you can have a drink when you're older!"

As the pair quietly bickered amongst themselves, the old man silently and swiftly placed a few drops of a clear liquid into each glass before sliding them towards the girls. "Don't be such a spoilsport, Mira-san. One little drink won't hurt her. Let her live a little."

Mira gave the old man a betrayed look before turning towards Lisanna, her younger sister's pleading look finally cracking her resolve. "Alright, fine. Have a drink, but if you start making out with... I'm sorry, I never asked your name."

"Kyōfū." (Gale)

"If you start making out with Kyōfū-san," Mira said, her finger resting lightly on her sister's nose. "Then it's your own fault, understood?"

Nodding rapidly, Lisanna reached for the drink and took a large gulp of the alcohol, her sister letting out a strangled cry while Kyōfū laughed loudly. Glaring at the old man once more, Mira took her own glass and took a large gulp, a trail of warmth settling in her stomach before slowly spreading across her body. "Hmm, it tastes a little different than normal..."

"That would be the poison I added to it. I've never been able to get them completely tasteless, no matter how many times I work on'em."

Mira blinked slowly at the man's words, her addled mind taking longer to process what the hooded man had said as the poison laced alcohol worked it's way through her. Turning slowly towards Kyōfū, Mira's eyes narrowed at the sight of his younger looking hands as they reached for his hood and pulled it down. Mira let out a throaty laugh as she gazed at the young man under the hood. "Ohhh, Mira likes..."

"Na- Naruto-nii..." Turning slowly towards her sister, Mira frowned in confusion at Lisanna's frightened expression.

"Naruto-nii? But... but he said his name was Kyōfū."

Shaking her head slowly, Lisanna tried to stand when she felt the room spinning wildly, the youngest Strauss gripping the table as she waited for the wave of vertigo to pass. "You ass, you poisoned me! Wait a minute, why is Mira acting like that while I'm tripping over my own feet?"

Laughing softly, Naruto gently patted Mira's head as she wrapped her arms around him. "I gave Mira something to calm her down, while I gave you something to stop you from running away. I know you, Lisanna, or at least I did. If you've been here all this time then you found a reason to stay, which means you would have fought me every step of the way if I just tried to drag you home. So we're gonna have a little chat with your sister, after all I think she deserves to know what really happened to her Lisanna."

"Oh, I already know aaaaaaaall about Lisanna-chan, Naru-kun." Cocking an eyebrow at the woman that was currently clinging to his arm, Naruto pulled the giggly barmaid into his lap and wrapped his arms around her.

'Uh... you do remember that she's not your Mira, right?'

'Of course I remember, I'm not going to bend her over the table and screw her, I just want to hold her for a few minutes.' Letting out a content sigh at the familiar body pressed against him, Naruto rested his chin on Mira's shoulder while looking into her eyes. "And what do you know about Lisanna, Mira-chan?"

Mira grinned happily as she wiggled in Naruto's lap before pointing gleefully at her wide eyed sister. "I know she's from another world! Lisanna-chan's an alien!"

* * *

><p>And there we are! I actually had to rewrite that end scene several times before settling on how it ended. Read, review and see if you can identify where I got Bora's interrogation scene from! It has been slightly changed from the original, but there's enough of the original that it should be identifiable for anyone that's seen it.<p> 


	17. Poll

Sorry to get your hopes up, but I am starting on the next chapter right away. I do however want to put up a poll since several of you brought up an interesting idea. Should I get Edo-Mirajane to come back with Naruto and co? When I got the first review saying that I thought "No, that would just be crazy."

But then I got to thinking about it and I could do it. I already have an idea on how to pull it off and make it plausible. SO, I need your votes to tell me if you want it. Voting will be open for a week, giving you all plenty of time to let me know what you want to see.


	18. Chapter 16

Hey guys, it's been a little while but I'm still hanging in there. Hope you enjoy this chapter, I had fun writing the interactions with Naruto and the cast, hope you enjoy the humor.

Read, review and enjoy as always!

* * *

><p>"DAMMIT, ELFMAN! WAKE UP! WE'VE GOT AN EMERGENCY HERE!"<p>

Groaning softly as he swept his blanket from his large frame, Edo-Elfman turned his bleary eyes towards his door and whomever was pounding away at the wooden portal. Let out a loud yawn as he rose from his bed, Elfman shambled towards the trembling door and flung it open, the sight of a panting Jet setting the timid man on edge. "Jet, what's wrong?"

"Elfman, it's Mira and Lisanna. They're missing." Eyes widening in surprise, Elfman pushed his way past the frowning mage and raced down the stairs. The normally boisterous bar was deathly silent, several groups of Fairy Tail mages gathering together while they spoke in soft tones. Levy stood by the bar, her eyes slowly scanning a sheet of paper clutched tightly in her hand. Approaching the young woman, Elfman paused for a moment at the sad look she gave him while handing him the note.

"It's for you."

Swallowing loudly, Elfman took the note and read it's contents, tears coming unbidden to his eyes at the missive's contents.

_'Elfman,_

_The day we knew was coming has finally arrived. Someone from Earthland has come to take Lisanna back home. We both spoke about this when she appeared and my decision still stands, she needs to go back to where she belongs. The man that came to collect her, Naruto, also told me that Faust has kidnapped Earthland's Fairy Tail and the town surrounding it. I can't let this happen, I'm going with them to...'_

The piece of paper fell from nerveless fingers as Elfman processed the words his sister had written, his expression hardening as he turned to address the rest of his guild. "We need to go after her!"

"Ar you insane?" Levy said as she glared at the taller mage. "She's heading towards Faust and his army! We'd be slaughtered! We're already at less than half strength as it is!"

"I never thought of you as a coward, Levy." Growling angrily, Levy turned towards the smug voice, her retort falling flat at the sight of a smirking Lucy Ashley. "We all need to talk about this, right now."

Chapter 16

Royal City Outskirts

During his years of service as a shinobi, Naruto had travelled through a myriad of environments, from the lush forests of Fire Country to the frozen lands of Iron country. He'd thought that he'd seen it all, but Edolas apparently still had something new to show him. 'It's a first for me to walk through a land that's this barren... what could have caused this?'

**'I'm assuming it has something to do with this king we've heard about. This 'Faust' appears to not care about anything except himself and those he chooses to share his power with.' ** Naruto paused for a moment as he rested his hand on the dry earth, a sigh passing his lips when his enhanced senses failed to detect anything living within a mile of his position. The only thing that had any spark of life near the blonde was the massive city that rose out of the dead ground, Naruto's eyes narrowing at the ostentatious city.

"So far we're still in the clear and we've almost reached the city. Let's go, girls." Rising to his feet, Naruto raised his cloak's hood before he turned to face his similarly garbed companions. A happy looking Mirajane gave the blonde a cheerful smile while the sullen glare that Lisanna was throwing in his direction brought a grin to the shinobi's lips. "Come on, Lisanna-chan, cheer up! We're almost there, which means we're almost home!"

"How can I cheer up," Lisanna said angrily as she raised her bound hands in the air. "When you've got me tied up like some kind of crook! I already told you that I wouldn't run away..."

"You said that when we left the guild and I decided to trust you. An hour later I had to take five minutes out of my busy schedule to run you down," Naruto said while locking onto the blushing teenager with a deadpan stare. "I was not amused, Lisanna-chan."

"I already said I was sorry! But you're taking me home against my will, that's kidnapping!"

Shaking his head slowly, Naruto approached the irate girl and placed his hands on her shoulders gently. "Lisanna, you belong back home with your sister and brother. I know you didn't want to hurt the Mira or Elfman of this world, but they already knew that you were living a lie. And if you complain about going home one more time I'll knock your pretty little ass out and seal you up until I get back."

Eyes widening at Naruto's words, Lisanna gave the blonde a dubious look. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try and escape or ruin our cover and you'll see how serious I am. After all," Naruto said while he pulled a kunai free and cut the ropes binding the teen's hands. "I'm the one that'd have to explain to Mira how I didn't bring you home. I have the feeling that she'd be very through in voicing her displeasure at my failure."

Rubbing her bruised wrists lightly, Lisanna gave the tall blonde a calculating look before nodding in understanding. "You're whipped."

Cocking an eyebrow at the sudden backbone the teen was displaying, Naruto rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a few moments before he nodded in agreement. "I prefer to think of it as not having a death wish. But, if you prefer to call me whipped then I ain't got a problem with it. After all, when the booty is that good, it's kinda hard to say no..."

"OH GOD, N ARUTO-NII! Stop talking about Mira-nee like that!"

"I dunno," Mira said happily as she offered her own opinion on the topic at hand. "I think I'd like to hear what your sister does to keep a man like Naruto-kun here happy."

"See? This Mira doesn't mind listening to these intimate details and our Mira has no problem sharing them with people that really want to know. Loosen up, you'll feel so much better!"

Screaming angrily, Lisanna spun on her heel and stormed towards a group of nearby boulders. After she sat down heavily on one of the half buried stones, Lisanna shot a scathing glare towards the grinning pair. Mira approached the silent shinobi and nudged him with her hip, the blonde grinning fondly at the familiar gesture. 'Even in another world, Mira is still the same old Mira.'

"So, when are you going to stop antagonizing my little sister?"

"Oh, I think I've finally burned through the back log of brotherly teasing that I've missed out over the the last three years," Naruto said as he absently wrapped his arm around Mira's waist. "All we have to do now is wait for the clones to report back in on the town's security measures and then we can figure out a way inside... Oh, that is just wrong. Seriously?"

"What is it?" Ignoring Mira's question, Naruto turned towards a still sulking Lisanna and waved her towards the pair before he finally answered the concerned woman at his side.

"Apparently Faust believes his untouchable, he doesn't even have any security at he gates of the capitol. We'd better hurry up, I have the sinking suspicion that Natsu is in trouble."

Meanwhile...

"What have you done with Lucy?!"

"Lucy...? Oh, you mean the blonde that was with you? Sorry to say, but we no longer have a use for her," Hughes said, a bland expression appearing as he responded to Natsu's question. "Who knows, we may just execute her... or we may find another use for her. She is quite the looker, isn't she?"

Natsu's eyes widened angrily, his body nearly trembling as he approached the heavy door. "If you harm a single hair on her head, this entire city will burn."

"Oh hoh, you Earthland mages are so scary...but tell me, how will you do that when you're stuck behind these bars?"

Breathing deeply, Natsu leaned forwards as his hands tightly gripped onto the door's iron bars. "I don't need to get out of these bars for the city to burn. I'm warning you that if you hurt Lucy, I'll be the least of your problems. You'll have to deal with an angry Naruto and no one in their right mind wants to deal with that."

"Naruto? Fishcake?"

Chuckling darkly, Natsu grinned at his captor's words and nodded slowly. "Yep, a fishcake. It's the deadliest fishcake you'll ever see. Do not mess with the fishca... OI! I'm not done with you yet!" Natsu angrily threw himself against the door when Hughes turned his back on him, the army commander waving carelessly over his shoulder as he calmly walked away from the cell.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure the fishcake is quite dangerous. Now be a good boy and stay in that cell, our King still needs you alive to complete his plans."

His fist thumping softly against the unyielding wood, Natsu pushed himself away from the barrier and sat beside Wendy, his face twisted up in a petulant scowl. "Damned bastard always takes too long to show up..."

"Who's that, Natsu-san?" Blinking slowly, Natsu turned towards Wendy and cocked his head to the side.

"What do you mean who? I just said that Naruto is coming!"

"Who's he?"

Sighing softly, Natsu turned towards his fellow Dragon-Slayer and placed his hands on his knees. "That's right, he's been missing since you joined. Naruto is one of our S-class mages, even Jiji is wary of him. He's already here, I ran into one of his clones in Louen. Which means if he finds out what Faust is planning, the shit is going to hit the fan."

"H-h-how bad is it going to be, Natsu-san?"

Humming softly, Natsu folded his arms against his chest as he mulled over the question. "Hmmm, on a scale of one to ten... about thirty."

"But you said between one and ten! How could you get thirty?"

"It's simple," Natsu said as he grinned evilly. "Naruto is more destructive and violent than the rest of the guild combined when he's properly motivated. And since they're trying to kill Mira and the rest of our friends, that's more than enough motivation for him to mow down anything in his path."

Several hours later...

Whistling softly, Naruto stood atop one of the tallest buildings in the royal city, his loose cloak flapping around him lazily while he enjoyed the cool breeze and took in the sights of the magic laden city. _'For such a colossal waste of resources, this place ain't all that bad.'_

_**'And that's exactly what Faust wants you to think. Bit makes it that much easier for him to entice you into following any harebrained scheme he dreams up.'**_

Nodding thoughtfully at Kurama's words, Naruto turned his attention to the Lacrima resting in the middle of the plaza below, a frown appearing as he watched the throngs of people surrounding the magical crystal. His eyes narrowing, Naruto pulled a small amount of chakra from his Sennin bracer and turned his heightened senses towards the immense crystal. '_Hmm, it feels like... ice and steel? Hoh, Erza and Grey... they'll do nicely. Now, Mystogan said that a Dragon Slayer could destroy the lacrima and free whomever is trapped inside, so where is Natsu...' _ Naruto's eyes slid shut as he sank towards the rooftop and began to meditate just like Pa taught him. After several minutes of silence the shinobi's eyes opened and he turned to the east, his eyes narrowing as he stared angrily at the royal palace. _'Of course he's been captured. I don't even know why I'm surprised anymore.'_

_**'Hmph, it seems like someone needs another go at your training course from hell.'**_

_'That's a good idea, Fuzzy. By the way, how's it going in there?'_

_**'Slow... but I'm making progress. You should be ready to go in another day or so.'**_

_'Sweet. Keep me posted.'_

"Well, I guess I better go and save his ass again..." Grumbling softly while he rose from the ground, Naruto was about to leap towards the far off palace when he heard a familiar in the street below him. Looking over the edge of the building, Naruto cocked an eyebrow at the sight of Gajeel and a man that could be his twin, the pair swiftly making their way through the packed streets and into a nearby alley. Grinning evilly as he watched the oblivious pair disappear from sight, Naruto began to chuckle darkly as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop. "On the other hand, I see an old acquaintance that will work just as well..."

* * *

><p>Edo-Gajeel flipped through several pages of his notebook, his attention shifting to the sight of his rough looking twin from Earthland as he leaned calmly against one of the buildings surrounding them. "My sources have discovered that the lacrima in the town square is to be converted into pure energy within two days time. We have until then to free your comrades or else..."<p>

"Or else they die. Yeah, I know. But we still don't know which section of the plaza is the most vulnerable to attack and I don't want to give them a chance to swarm me. I may be tough but even I can be overrun. I need to get in fast, free the rest of the guild and get out as soon as possible.

"That's not a bad plan for an idiotic piece of scrap metal like you, Redfox." Spinning towards the deep voice, both Gajeel's stared in shock at the sight of Naruto as he calmly walked down the side of a tall building.

"UZUMAKI?! Do you know how much shit you've put me through with your little disappearing act? HUH?!" Gajeel jabbed a finger towards the relaxed blonde once he reached the ground, the furious Dragon Slayer growling as he approached the calm blonde. Edo-Gajeel hung back and studied the tall blonde, his eyes narrowing as they fell on the metal plate adorning his forehead.

"Oh hoh, another Fairy... and judging from Gajeel-kun's reaction you're from Earthland as well. Well met, Uzumaki-san."

Pausing for a moment, Naruto cocked his head to the side as he stared at the Edolas version of Gajeel. "Another Gajeel... that's actually smart? And he's well mannered as well..."

"OI! ARE YOU CALLING ME STUPID AND RUDE? YOU BLONDE HAIRED PIECE OF SHIT!"

"Hey, you said it," Naruto said nonchalantly. "Not me. Uzumaki Naruto, S-Class mage of Fairy Tail."

Gajeel growled angrily before throwing his hands in the air. "Nevermind, I don't care anymore. Now that you're here we can easily break out the rest of the guild members from that Lacrima in the plaza."

"Uh, that's not everyone. That just Gray and Erza," Naruto said as he ignored the incredulous looks from both Gajeel's. "The others are somewhere else nearby, but I'm having problems tracking them down. By the way, what are you doing here in the first place, Redfox?"

Smirking broadly, Gajeel turned towards the blonde and gestured at a Fairy Tail mark he bore. "Mystogan found me after you left and filled me in on what was happening. We're comrade's now, Blondie, I couldn't let the guild be turned into a bunch of magic for some thieving bastards. And since we're all buddies now I won't kill you for all the shit you put me through before, but I'm still gonna kick your ass once we get back home."

Naruto stared at the smirking Dragon Slayer calmly for several moments before responding calmly. "You're lucky I didn't tear you limb from limb for endangering Mira when you destroyed the guild building. How about we just call it even while you can still breath?"

Edo-Gajeel's eyebrows rose upwards as he watched his Earthland counterpart slowly begin to sweat under the blonde's gaze, his once confident demeanour crumbling under Naruto's implacable stare. "F-fine, you win. For now."

"Good! Now," Naruto said as he turned towards Edo-Gajeel. "After go over a few more details regarding this plan of yours, I'll need you to point me towards the nearest barracks or armoury. I feel like doing some 'shopping'."

Blinking slowly, Edo-Gajeel turned his confused gaze towards his counterpart and was met by a shrug of the Dragon Slayer's shoulders. "Shopping?"

* * *

><p>Lisanna sat silently with her arms wrapped around her knees, the sulking teen staring at the people in the streets. The sight of the excessive waste of magic set the young woman's teeth on edge, her pretty features twisting into an annoyed scowl. "This is why the guild's were forced to disband? So that Faust could keep his people happy and complacent with the magic he stole from them?"<p>

"Yes, it is a waste of magic," Mira said as she looked over her sister's shoulder at the children playing in the streets. "But they do appear to be happy at least. It's a far better sight then some of the other towns we've visited over the last few years, isn't it?" Grunting softly in agreement, Lisanna turned away from the window and focused on her bare feet. After several moments of silence, Mira sat in front of Lisanna and flashed her a smile. "I know you're still angry at Naruto and I..."

"Of course I'm mad at you both! For three years you let me think I was fooling you by trying to take your sister's place, but you knew the entire time! Why? Why did you never say anything?"

Reaching forward, Mira gently ran a hand along Lisanna's cheek before she pulled the smaller girl into an embrace, her arms wrapping tightly around the weakly struggling girl from Earthland. "You're just like our Lisanna, except you're a little less bratty. When you showed up in the guild hall, I knew you weren't my sister, but you were trying so hard that I didn't have the heart to tell you that I knew you weren't our Lisanna."

"Mira-nee..."

"That's why you have to go back. There's a Mirajane and Elfman on Earthland that miss you just as much as we miss our Lisanna. The years you lived here made it seem as if our Lisanna had come back to us and I can't thank you enough for that. At least this time I get to properly say goodbye." Sniffling softly, Mira buried her face in Lisanna's neck as her tears began to fall. "Even though you're not my Lisanna, I'll always love you like you're my sister. Never forget that."

Tears gathering at Mira's words, Lisanna held the older woman in her arms as they both continued to cry softly. Several minutes later Mira pulled back from Lisanna's embrace and gave the younger girl a watery grin. "So are you going to still act all angry and pouty around Naruto-san when he comes back?"

Giggling softly at her sister's words, Lisanna flashed Mira a similar grin and nodded. "Yes, he deserves it. He can be such an ass sometimes."

"You're right, and what an ass it is. If he wasn't heading home right away I may have wanted to get a more through inspection of it..."

"MIRA-NEE!" Giggling loudly as she pulled her sister towards her, both Strauss women rested their foreheads against each other as their laughter rolled from their parted lips. "That's terrible! You do know he's together with my Mira, don't you?"

"Of course she does, I already told her while you were sleeping on the way here." Shrieking in surprise, Lisanna growled at the grinning shinobi casually leaning against the doorjamb.

"Dammit, stop that! You have not changed at all in the three years since I left!" Rising to her feet swiftly, Lisanna strode towards the still shinobi and threw her arms around his waist, her face burrowing into his chest as the blonde looked towards Edo-Mira in surprise. At the elder Strauss calm shrug of her shoulders the blonde tentatively wrapped his arms around the young girl clinging to him, her arms tightening as he felt the familiar wetness of tears soaking his shirt. "M'sorry, Naruto-nii..."

A sigh escaped the shinobi as he closed his eyes. Leaning forward, Naruto gently kissed the crown of Lisanna's head before he squeezed her tightly. "It's ok, I expect you to be a little bratty without my sterling example over the last few years. I'll whip you back in to shape by the time your birthday rolls around, make no mistake of that."

Snickering loudly, Lisanna pulled back from the embrace and wagged a finger at the grinning shinobi. "Oh no, I've seen enough of your example to know I don't want anything to do with it! All you tried to teach me when I was younger was how to gamble and that I should stuff my face with food that's bad for me!"

Backing away as if he'd been physically struck, Naruto placed a hand against his heart and gave the teen a betrayed look. "I'm hurt, Lisanna-chan! You make it sound like you didn't enjoy your time with me!"

Her eyes tightening, Lisanna crossed the room once more and wrapped her arms around Mira before glaring weakly at the melodramatic shinobi. "I've got my eye on you Naruto-nii. If I see you trying to corrupt Mira-nee like you tried to with me then I can't be held accountable for my actions!"

"Oh really? Do your worst, brat." Arms folded against his chest, Naruto shot the youngest Strauss a smug grin at her annoyed expression.

"Well a little after bit after you arrived in Earthland you were at a bar in Crocus, where you met a really sexy blonde..." Lisanna's eyes widened as Naruto crossed the room faster than she could blink, his hand firmly clamped onto her mouth.

"Who the hell told you that?!" Despite her muffled response, Naruto's gaze tightened as he recognized the name she spoke. "Oh, that bastard, he is so dead when we get homeGAH! Dammit, Lisanna!" Naruto pulled his hand back as if he'd burned it, the shinobi ignoring Lisanna's wide grin while he wiped his wet hand on his pants. "Gross, do you know where my hands have been?!" Hearing a loud giggle from the final occupant of the room, Naruto turned towards Mira and gave her a deadpan stare before he turned back to Lisanna. "So, are we all good? No more running off or pouting about how mean I am?"

"Fine. I'll behave, Naruto-nii."

"Good. That means i can trust you with this stuff then." Reaching for his pouch, Naruto pulled a scroll free and unfurled the parchment on the floor. A large burst of smoke revealed the contents of the scroll, both girls staring at the pile of magical weaponry with wide eyes. "After all, I need to make sure that both of you can protect yourself while I go up against Faust and his army."

"D-did you rob a weapon store?!" Looking up from the pile of magical weaponry at his feet, Naruto gave Mira a hurt look while shaking his head.

"What? NO! I did not rob a weapon store!" Noting Mira's unsure expression, Naruto planted his fists on his hips and gave her a firm nod. "I stole all of this from the army's armoury!"

"Oh. Well that's ok then!"

"Mira-nee!"

* * *

><p>Glancing over at the nearby bed, Naruto couldn't help but grin at the innocent expression Lisanna wore while she slept. Turning back towards the desk he'd appropriated, Naruto continued inspecting his weaponry and supplies, years of training and habit forcing him to make sure that there were no surprises regarding his gear for tomorrow's operation. As he finished inspecting his last kunai, a familiar pair of arms wrapped around the blonde's neck. Smiling softly, the blonde relaxed in Mira's loose embrace. "Hey, couldn't sleep?"<p>

Grunting softly, Mira's arms squeezed tighter for a moment. "I'm too worried about tomorrow. I get nervous when there's a big mission like this, I've always been like that."

"Heh, yeah, my Mira is like that too. She always got jittery when it was something important, it was always fun to watch."

Growling softly, Mira lightly bopped Naruto in the back of the head. "Since your Mira can't hit you right now I'll have to sub in for her."

Chuckling softly, Naruto looked over his shoulder and flashed the scowling woman a grin. "Come on, you have to admit it is funny." After he weathered her glare for several moments, Naruto reached up and patted Mira's hands gently. "Ok, ok, you win. I'm sorry. So, ready to give the army a little payback tomorrow?"

Nodding firmly, Mira withdrew her arms and circled around the shinobi and plopped her self down in the smiling blonde's lap with a huff. "I would be more ready if you had found me a decent weapon to use. I'd be better off throwing rocks at them!"

Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Naruto leaned back in his chair and looked towards the pile of weapons in the middle of the room. "Seriously, all of that hardware there and you couldn't find anything? Man, you're even pickier than my Mira... ow." Wincing lightly, Naruto met Mira's glare as she silently pounded on his chest.

"Well you didn't even grab any magical rifles worth a damn! Most of the ones you got were for mid range and the rest are pieces of crap."

"Guns, eh? Well I was going to take this one home so I could fiddle with it, but if you can use it..." Pulling back his sleeve, Naruto revealed a seal tattoo and forced some chakra into it, a powerful looking firearm dropping into his hands.

Mira's eyes widened at the sight of the firearm in the blonde's hands, her mouth dropping in surprise. "That's... not a normal rifle."

"No," Naruto said as he gently placed the weapon and a heavy looking belt in Mira's hands. "But I'm sure you can make use of this. Now go and get some sleep, it's going to be a long day for everyone."

Nodding distractedly, Mira rose from the blonde's lap and slowly made her way towards her bed, her head bowed as continued to stare at the weapon cradled in her hands. Grinning happily as he leaned back in his chair, Naruto waited until he heard Mira's breathing even out before he turned back to the blank tag on the desk. "Well, no rest for the wicked if I want to get home in one piece..."

The next morning...

"It's too early... Naruto-nii is a slave driver." Giggling softly at her sister's complaints, Mira continued to observe the early morning patrols surrounding the Royal palace.

"You big baby, this isn't much earlier that when we open the bar at the guild."

"Exactly! I've been tell you that we could sleep in for another hour or so for YEARS."

Both girls glared at each other for a moment before they giggled softly. After they'd gotten their laughter out of their systems they turned their attention back towards the Royal palace. Narrowing her eyes as she spotted a bright splash of orange against the dull grey of the palace, Mira nudged Lisanna and pointed. "Look, there he is."

Lisanna watched silently as Naruto disappeared through a window on an upper floor, her breath pausing for a moment as she waited to see if anyone would notice the intruder. After several minutes of silence Lisanna finally relaxed, her gaze shifting to her sister. "Well, he's in. Now we just need to wait for his signal before I head out. Are you sure that you'll be alright without me, Mira-nee?"

Arching a delicate eyebrow at her sister's question, Edo-Mira turned towards the half dozen Naruto clones behind the pair before answering her sister in a saucy wink. "Yep, I think I'll be fine on my own."

Giggling at Edo-Mira's response, Lisanna reached for the throat mic Naruto had given her before they'd split up. "Gajeel, are you ready in the plaza?"

"_Everything checks out here, just let me know when to make my move and I'll trash that lacrima. I'll head over with Red and Frostbite to the western tower as soon as I give'em a quick rundown of the plan."_

"Great, I'll let you know the moment I hear anything from Naruto-nii." Pulling a small jar from her pocket, Lisanna studied the small spheres it contained for a moment before she downed an X-ball. 'Ok, this is it.'

Meanwhile, inside the palace...

_'You know, it's still surprising how rarely people will look at the ceiling when they enter a room.' _ Naruto grinned at the deep chuckle Kurama let loose at his comment, the blonde staying out of sight while observing Faust and several people that could only be his Army commanders. _ 'It's a good thing I ran into that other Gajeel, otherwise I'd have no idea who anyone is here.' _

_**'It wouldn't be the first time you've wandered into a situation without enough intelligence. Need I remind you about how badly you screwed up taking down Grimoire Heart?'**_

_'Bite me.'_ Shaking his head at Kurama's laughter, Naruto turned his attention towards the meeting.

"It's just as I thought, your Majesty. The mages of Earthland can store and produce pure magic inside of their bodies." Naruto narrowed his eyes while Byro took a moment to consult several documents spread out before him. After several moments of silence his expression turned triumphant, the old man turning his attention back towards Faust. "They are similar to the Exceed in this manner, but the amount that they can generate is far greater."

"Then that Lucy girl should be the same. It'd be a waste to kill her," Naruto's eyes tightened at Hughes' words, the blonde silently planning on how he'd demonstrate his displeasure at the violet headed pretty boy's words. "We should just suck her magic dry while we can."

"We cannot, we've been given orders by Queen Shagotte to execute her immediately."

While Sugarboy and Hughes voiced their opinions regarding their King's declaration, Naruto's hands clenched angrily at Faust's callous dismissal of another person's life. _'As much as I hate killing, I'm starting to seriously consider razing this place to the ground. Please tell me you finished breaking those seals.'_

_**'Are they still on your wrists?'**_

Pulling back his sleeves, Naruto glared petulantly at the black flames adorning his wrists. _'Yes.'_

_**'Then stop bugging me, it'll be done when it's done.'**_

Grumbling softly, Naruto turned his attention back to the meeting in time to catch Byro shaking his head sadly. "No, we couldn't. Extracting magic from humans is still beyond our grasp."

"Then how does that affect our plans regarding the Dragon Slayers?"

Turning towards the being that had spoken, Naruto shook his head slowly. _'I refuse to believe that this guy is the same species as Happy. Not only is he taller than I am, he's got bigger muscles too!'_

_**'Feeling envious of an overgrown cat? Kit, I feel sorry for you, I truly do.'**_

_'One more word out of you and I'm bringing down the Torri, furball!' _Smirking triumphantly, Naruto ignored his partner's grumbling as he continued to listen to the meeting.

"Dragon Slayers... are different. They appear human, yet in many respects they are not. My experiments have shown that we can drain them of their magic more easily then a normal human being, providing us with an unlimited source of magic."

"Excellent work, Byro. I want you to begin extracting the Dragon-Slayer's magic immediately and also start on converting the Lacrima from Earthland as soon as possible, just in case."

Nodding eagerly, the elderly Chief of staff rose from his seat and headed for the exit, the army commanders soon following the excited old man. Naruto was about to follow then when he paused for a moment, his eyes focusing on the the confrontation between Faust and Pantherlily regarding the current build up of the leader's military. As the massive cat finally left the room, the blonde studied the seated ruler, his eyes tightening at the expression he wore. _ 'Is it just me or does he look insane?'_

_**'No, it's not just you. I've seen that expression all too often since Hagoromo-jiji died. He's gone mad, and he's going to take everyone he can with him along for the ride. We better find Lucy before someone decides to follow the orders of this Shagotte.'**_ Grunting in agreement, Naruto gave the brooding king a final glance before he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * *

><p>"Happy and Charla are Exceed. In this world they're as close as you can get to Angels, while their leader, Shagotte, is considered a God that regulates humanity. If she says that it's your time to die, you die." Humming softly as she mulled over what she'd learned over the last few days, Lucy let out a soft growl as one pulled against the handcuffs that bound her. "That's... that's... THE BIGGEST PIECE OF HORSE SHIT I HAVE EVER HEARD!"<p>

"For someone not born in Edolas you appear to be very well informed, Lucy." Pausing in surprise, Lucy stared at the person standing in the open door of her cell.

"Erza..."

"Yes, Erza Knightwalker. You seem to be quite calm for someone in your position."

Smiling sadly at the redheaded woman's words, Lucy shrugged her shoulders gently while she stared at the floor. "Hmm, I supposed so. Maybe it's because I'm still hoping that a blonde haired hero will swoop in and save me in the nick of time."

"Oh? And who would this 'blonde hero' be? Another mage from Earthland?"

Chuckling softly as she looked at her captor, Lucy gave Erza a soft smile. "Oh, he's more than just another mage from my home. He's... something else, something more than you'd expect from your first impression of him."

"I see. Well then I'm sorry to say that it's too late," Erza said as she leaned forwards and grabbed onto Lucy's blonde tresses. "It's time for me to carry out our God's orders."

Screaming in pain as she was roughly dragged across the dungeon floor, Lucy gritted her teeth against the pain and glared at her captor. "This isn't something that you'd do, Erza! You would never laugh at someone else while they suffered, you'd do everything you could to help them! Just help me save my friends, that's all I ask!"

Growling angrily at the blonde's words, Erza angrily threw her prisoner against towards a large balcony. Glaring angrily at the bound blonde, Erza used her spear to hoist her prisoner in the air. Approaching the edge of the balcony, Lucy watched as her executioner's calm expression grew more sadistic with each step she took. "Oh, but you're so wrong. I just love to see people suffer, especially truly happy people such as yourself. Do you really think that someone named the 'Fairy Hunter' would help you rescue your friends?" Chuckling darkly, Erza leaned towards the struggling blonde as if she were about to share a secret. "I've kill so many people that it's all I know anymore. Goodbye, Lucy." Tensing her muscled arm, Erza prepared to throw the Earthland mage clear of her spear when a hand wrapped around her wrist, it's powerful grip causing a cry of pain to escape the sadistic woman's lips.

"Put down the girl or else I'll get angry. You wouldn't like it when I'm angry." Growling at the interruption, Erza tried to drop her prisoner over the edge but it was as if her arm was encased in steel, the lone hand keeping her straining limb from moving an inch.

"NARUTO!" Eyes narrowing at Lucy's joyous cry, Knightwalker glared over her shoulder at the fool that had dared to lay his hand on her.

"It looks like you failed to follow your God's orders, Knightwalker. Now we can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

Scoffing softly, Erza eyed the powerful looking blonde for a moment before she gave him a suggestive look. "Hmm, I could make use of a man of your obvious... 'talents'. Just let me dispose of this trash and then we can continue this conversation somewhere more 'comfortable'."

"Hang on a second," Lucy said while staring at Naruto in shock. "Is she trying to pick you up during my execution?"

"I... I think she is. Wow," Naruto said as he gave Lucy an equally shocked look. "I'll be honest, I really don't know how to respond to that."

"Oh, you don't need to respond at all, handsome. I just needed enough time to do this, MEL FORCE!" Naruto gritted his teeth as Erza's weapon glowed brightly, a powerful vacuum wave sending the shinobi crashing through a stone wall.

"NARUTO! NO!"

Smiling sadistically, Erza hungrily licked her lips. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of your boy toy. Goodbye, Lucy." A weaker vacuum wave sent the struggling blonde tumbling into the air, her scream echoing off of the tall buildings as she plunged towards the ground.

Lowering her arm, Erza slowly turned towards the settling dust cloud and her newest prize. "And now, lets see how long it takes to break you in..." Erza's words trailed off when she saw that her newest prize had somehow escaped, a crater marking the place where her Ten Commandments had thrown him. Growling angrily, Erza was prepared to storm off in search of the blonde when a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Sorry, but I'm going to have to pass on your offer. I've already got a pissed off girlfriend that I need to rescue, I really don't need any more crazy shit in my life right now." Turning slowly towards the balcony, Erza's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the missing blonde crouching on top of the bannister while holding a trembling Lucy in his arms.

"How...how did you do that?"

"Trade secret."

Eyes narrowing in irritation, Erza angrily thrust her staff towards the blondes. "No matter, my patience is not infinite, Naruto. The girl must die as commanded by Queen Shagotte. If you hand her over right now, your punishment will be less severe than if I have to come over there and take her from you myself."

"I think you're missing the point here," Naruto said as he gave the seething redhead a confused look. "I just saved her, it'd be stupid to let you kill her after I went to all the trouble of doing that..."

"Especially since we commanded him to do so."

Meanwhile...

Leaning out of the alleyway he'd chosen as a vantage point, Gajeel watched the guards milling around the plaza, a frown appearing at the sight of the happy expressions they wore while they gestured towards the massive lacrima. "Bunch of parasites... I'm really going to enjoy taking that back from them." Moments later the Dragon-Slayer's heard a soft burst of static in his ear, his hand reaching up and pressing against the small bud nestled there. "Are we ready to go yet?"

"_Yep, we just got word from Naruto's clones. Go get our friends back."_

Grinning wildly, Gajeel remembered an appropriate phrase Naruto had told him about when he'd handed this his equipment. "Roger that." Crouching towards the ground, Gajeel felt his muscles tense for a moment before he burst out of the alley, his arms glowing brightly as he sped towards the line of soldiers standing in his way. "IRON DRAGON'S CLUB!" Swinging his club arm in front of him, Gajeel chuckled darkly as the iron weapon crashed into the human wall and scattering soldiers like chaff in the wind. "IRON DRAGON'S SWORD!" Thrusting his other arm forward, the massive iron sword that had appeared pierced the lacrima effortlessly, an action that had the remaining soldiers staring at Gajeel with incredulous looks while others ran towards the commotion.

Moments later a brilliant flash of light exploded throughout the plaza, cries of panic and fear surrounding the Iron Dragon Slayer while he just grinned at the sight before him. When the light finally faded, a familiar pair occupied the spot that had once contained the massive crystal, each of them slowly rising to their feet. "Ok you twp, you're free again,' Gajeel said as he approached Grey and Erza. "Now follow me, we haven't got much time!"

"Gajeel?" Rubbing her eyes tiredly, Erza's expression grew grimmer as she slowly scanned her surroundings. "What's going on here?"

"Where's everyone else," Gray said as he spun around slowly, his expression becoming confused at the open area surrounding them. "And what happened to the guild hall?!"

"Are you both deaf? I said come on! We don't have time for this!"

"CAPTURE THEM ALL!" Erza and Gray tensed at those words, their gazes shifting towards the contingent of soldiers running towards them. Tensing at the oncoming mob of people, both Gray and Erza raised their hands in preparation of releasing their magic when a hand landed on each of their shoulders and pulled them away from the oncoming crowd of soldiers.

"That won't work, get behind me! IRON DRAGON'S ROAR!" A powerful cyclone of jagged metal tore across the open square, many of the soldiers diving out of the way of the deadly force of nature. Taking advantage of the opening, Gajeel let out a relieved sigh when Erza and Gray followed him out of the plaza without further questions.

Several minutes of frantic running later, the trio found themselves in a dark alley near the western portion of the royal palace. Turning towards his comrades, Gajeel gave them both a wide grin before crossing his arms against his chest. "Well, that was fun. Now, I need the both of you to take one of these," Gajeel said as he held out a small jar of pills, both mages dubiously eyeing the vessel's contents. "And then we can talk about what's going on."

"No, this is how it's going to happen. You'll tell us what's happening," Erza said while glaring at the grinning Dragon Slayer. "And then after you've explained what these are maybe we'll take them."

"Even if we told you that these pills would restore your magic? You're not on Earthland anymore, Miss. The rules of magic are very different in Edolas and if you want to keep using your abilities while you're here, you will need to take one of these." Erza's eyes widened at the sight of a second Gajeel stepping into the light, a friendly smile appearing as he waved at the new arrivals. "Edolas Gajeel, at your service. My twin here is correct, we really don't have much time to waste. After all, Naruto is waiting for the both of you to assist him with his plan."

"NARUTO?" Racing forward, Erza grabbed Edo-Gajeel's jacket and pulled him towards her, the reporter's eyes widening in surprise at the furious expression Erza wore. "WHERE. IS. HE?"

"Last we heard he was supposed to be in the palace, something about causing a ruckus and giving us a chance to break in and free Natsu and Wendy." Gajeel said blandly while leaning against a brick wall, his thumb gesturing towards the nearby palace.

Turning back towards the Edolas copy of Gajeel, Erza took a deep breath and release him. "I'm sorry. Naruto... he's been missing for a long time, I was worried about him."

"Worried about him? Come on, Erza," Gray said as he cracked his knuckles expectantly. "We both know he can take care of himself. Now, how about handing over a couple of those pills and we can see how much trouble we can cause inside that palace."

"GAJEEL! WAIT!" Turning his attention upwards, Gajeel grinned at the sight of Happy descending from the sky.

"Well, look who showed up! What's happening, Cat?"

"Naruto says there's a change of plans! I've found the lacrima that's holding everyone else so I'll be taking you there," Happy said before turning to the recently freed Erza and Gray. "Meanwhile, Erza and Gray will continue towards the west tower and free Natsu and Wendy, we're going to need all the help that we can get."

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Gajeel gave his twin a quick look before turning back towards the floating cat. "Change of plans hmm? What's going on, Cat?"

"Well, you see..."

Flashback – 10 minutes ago

"Especially since we commanded him to do so."

Looking over his shoulder, Naruto cocked an eyebrow at the sight of a pair of cats, one that he was personally familiar with while the other matched the description he'd been given. 'Commanded me.. wait a minute.' Looking towards Charla, Naruto noticed the expectant look she was aiming towards him, a grin forming as he realized what she was trying to accomplish. 'Oh hoh, very nice. I like her already.'

"My lady!" Naruto said, his head lowering towards the ground as he ignored Erza Knightwalker. "I have fulfilled your request, but as you can can see there have been... complications."

Turning her imperious glare towards Erza, Charla folded her arms against her chest and glared at the army commander. "Your head is to high, human. You would do well to remember who your better's are."

Eyes tightening angrily, Knightwalker rose to her feet and pointed her ten commandments at Lucy and Naruto. "Your queen ordered her death and I have claimed the man as my prize. Surely you do not want to stand in the way of your leader's orders?"

"Of course I do," Charla said blandly as she waved a paw towards both Naruto and Lucy. "Why else would I have sent this man to rescue the girl from your attempt on her life? I'm am Charla, daughter of Shagotte, Princess of Extallia."

Eyes widening in panic, Knightwalker immediately dropped to a knee, her head bowing towards the floor in reverence. "Milady, I did not know. I beg your forgiveness."

"Hmph," Charla said as she aimed a wink at a grinning Naruto. "I'll forgive you this once, Knightwalker. Now tell me where the Dragon Slayer's are being held so that we may collect them as well."

"Milady, they are being held in the west tower. But I do not have the authority to release them..."

"I DON'T CARE! DO IT!"

"ERZA!" Every eye in the room focused on the bulky form of Pantherlily as he passed through the balcony's doorway. "Those two Exceed are rebels! They've been exiled from Extallia, don't listen to them!"

"Oh, would you look at the time!" Naruto looked at his wrist briefly, both Erza and Pantherlily turning their angry gazes towards him. "We really do have to be going. I'm sure you know how it is, people to rescue, evil dictators to mess with and armies to crush. Happy, take Lucy to the west tower!"

Winking at a wide eyed Lucy, Naruto tossed the teen into the air despite her protests. Squealing fearfully, Lucy glared at the blonde for a a moment after Happy snagged her from the air, the blue cat taking off towards the west tower before she could say anything to the shinobi. Arms thrown wide, Naruto laughed loudly at the two commanders before leaning backwards, his grin growing at the pairs incredulous expressions. After several moments of free fall, Naruto felt a small pair of hand grab the back of his coat and roughly hoist him into the air, the sounds of Erza and Pantherlily angrily handing out orders to their subordinates fading as they raced towards the west tower. Looking over his shoulder, Naruto grinned at the bland expression Charla wore. "That was a good bluff, especially since we didn't have a chance to plan that out in advance. You've got a devious mind, cat."

"Hmph, I expected the famous Kage to be similar to the others I've seen in Fairy Tail, all muscles and no brains. Imagine my surprise when I find out that he's intelligent enough to play along with my bluff without any previous coaching. And my name's Charla, not cat."

"Ohhh, I like you." Naruto said while turning his attention towards the approaching tower. "We're going to get along just fine, Charla."

"Hmph." Smiling at her wordless response, Naruto turned towards Happy and Lucy. "Ok, you two need to get to the west tower with Charla, I'll hold off the army for a while. When my clones locate the lacrima we'll..."

"Wait, we know where it is! Look over there!" Turing his attention towards the island Happy pointed towards, Naruto narrowed his eyes and grinned, a laugh escaping his lips.

"Hah, so that's where they were! Ok, change of plans! Happy, I need you to find Gajeel and take him up there, he can bust'em out after you drop off Lucy at the tower! Charla will back you up in a minute Lucy and I'll send some reinforcements your way as soon as I can! I'll keep these guys busy for as long as I can...wait, what's that sound?" Looking into the sky, Naruto saw what he thought was a a large flock of birds approaching the quartet when his eyes widened in surprise. Cocked his head to the side in surprise, Naruto turned towards Charla and jerked a thumb towards the winged creatures. "Friends of yours?"

Charla stared in shock at the sight of the approaching Exceed, each of them armed to the teeth and looking particularly angry. "There's too many of them, we need to land!"

"Charla," Happy said fearfully. "That's not a good idea!" Turning towards the ground, Charla growled angrily at the sight of the Royal army waiting for them the land.

"Drop me." Blinking rapidly, Charla fixed the blonde in her grasp with an incredulous stare.

"We're over a hundred feet in the air!"

"Eh, I've survived worse falls before. And that's not an army," Naruto said as he turned his attention towards the army commanders standing amid their troops, grinning at their angry expressions. "That's a warm up. Happy, get going!"

"Aye, sir!"

End flashback

"And that's what happened before I came to find you all."

"That...that...idiot! Running into a fight like that without any backup! Happy, I need you to take me there right away..."

"Sorry, Erza," Happy said apologetically, his expression falling when Erza glared at the Exceed angrily. "But Naruto gave me strict orders to make sure both you and Gray got to the west tower no matter what."

"Oh really?" Wisps of dark energy surrounded Erza as her head bowed towards the ground, her scarlet bangs obscuring her eyes while she slowly approached the hovering cat. "And how are you going to make me follow that blonde idiot's orders?"

"Well, Naruto said if you got too 'uppity'," Happy innocently said, the oblivious cat missing the redhead's clenched fists and her angry glare at his words. "I should remind you that every building in Magnolia got sucked up in the Anima. Even the cake shops."

Gasping loudly, Erza took a step back and stared at Happy in horror. "No!"

"Uh huh, he also said that if we don't stick to his plan then he can't guarantee that they'll all survive the fight intact."

Both Gray and Gajeel shared a incredulous look before turning towards the silent redhead, each of them softly voicing their opinion on the situation.

"And Naruto goes right for the throat, yet again." Gray said while shaking his head at the sad sight of Erza getting played by the shinobi.

"Hmph, even though I don't like him much, I have to admire the sheer balls he has to mess with Titania like that." Gajeel replied with a look of admiration.

"Right, lets get to the East tower, Gray! Gajeel, go with Happy, do whatever you can to bust open that lacrima!" Thrusting her fist towards Gray and Gajeel, both men grinned at the gesture and bumped fists with the fiery woman before turning towards their destinations.

* * *

><p>"And here I thought you weren't insane! Just how do you expect to defeat an entire army on your own?"<p>

"Because," Naruto said with a wide grin. "I am a one man army."

Her gaze shifting between the mob of soldiers and the grinning mage in her grip, Charla let out a a deep breath and glared at the cheerful blonde. "If you die..."

"Please," Naruto said as he pulled a pair of kunai from his hip pouch. "If I actually did die there's a long list of people that would be pissed off, what's one more? I'm ready to go when you are."

Gritting her teeth while her paws loosened their grip, Charla watched the blonde mage fall towards the waiting army, his face nearly splitting in half as his grin grew to epic proportions. 'Everyone of them is completely insane.' Charla ignored everything else occurring around her, her gaze locked firmly on the falling man when all hell suddenly broke loose.

* * *

><p>Let me know if you enjoyed it and stay tuned for the next chapter!<p> 


	19. Chapter 17

Yes, it has been a wile but all I can say is that things in my life been kind of spiraling out of control recently. Things have calmed down recently somewhat and that's why this chapter is out, so I hope it was worth the wait.

I don't normally respond to reviews but I do need to respond to one of them. It was an anonymous review that was recently posted and all I have to say to Mp2 is... thank you. Thank you for an honest review that told me what you didn't like and WHY and how to improve on what you felt was deficient. Not to mention the comment 'in your case you seem like you know what you are doing in general'. When I read that I couldn't help but grin cause in reality, I don't. So hearing that the majority of what I have put out seems to be decent really makes me feel good about the whole writing situation.

Enough of that, read, review and enjoy! Oh yeah, if you haven't read this portion of the manga or seen the anime then you'll definitely want to read what happens so you're not lost. Several events happen in the background and I didn't write them up cause no Naruto in this events means that I'm just repeating what many people will already know, but if you are one of the few that don then check out Fairy Tail Chapters 179 to 187.

* * *

><p>Faust silently observed his division commanders gathering in the courtyard below, the old ruler's eyes following Knightwalker's outstretched finger when it lifted towards the sky. The sight of the approaching Exceed elicited a growl from the old ruler, his attention turning towards their targets, the 'rebels' and their apparent friends. Faust recognized the girl who's execution he'd ordered, but the other blonde was a complete mystery to him. Head falling towards the ground, Faust paused for a moment, mentally preparing himself for his next action. Turning his attention to his constantly moving court courier, Coco, Faust threw away all doubts in that instant and returned his gaze to the oncoming flock of cats. "Activate Code ETD. Immediately."<p>

Coco came to an abrupt stop and stared at the old king in shock, her body trembling as the ruler turned his full attention towards her. "B-but, Code ETD is only to be used if..."

"Who are you to tell me what to do, Coco? I gave you an order," Faust said softly, the aged king glaring angrily at the terrified girl. "And you will follow it. Activate Code ETD, NOW."

Chapter 17

Naruto couldn't help but grin as he watched Happy and Lucy streaking towards the west tower but all too soon his attention turned towards the approaching Exceed. The blonde took a moment to study them before he looked over his shoulder. "So are we just going to hang around here all day or are you going to drop me, Carla?"

Sighing loudly at the blonde's sarcastic tone, Carla leveled an withering glare at her passenger. "Even if it means that I end up sharing your fate I am not going to let you fall to your death. Idiot."

Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Naruto turned his head towards the far off ground for a moment before giving Carla a confused look. "Seriously? That looks like a hundred foot drop at the most, that's considered child's play back home. You might as well just drop me now instead of wasting time that you could be using to save your friend..."

"ARE YOU STILL PRATTLING ON ABOUT THAT, THAT... IDIOCY?" Carla screamed as she glared at the blonde in her arms. "YOU INSUFERABLE JACKASS! GET IT THROUGH YOUR THINKC SKULL, I AM NOT GOING TO DROP YOU!"

Smirking softly at the cat's angry outburst, Naruto stared at her thunderous visage and shrugged his shoulders. "Well then, have fun fighting off the army and the Exceed when you should be out there rescuing Wendy. If you drop me I'll be able to keep them a good chunk of them busy, otherwise you'll fail and everyone will most likely die horribly."

Scowling at the blonde's words, Carla's wings beat furiously and the pair shot towards the open sky for several moments before the furious cat came to a halt. "Fine, die for all I care! But you better live up to your claims until I rescue Wendy, otherwise I swear by all that I hold dear I'll find some way to bring you back to life and make the rest of your days a never ending hell!" Gritting her teeth, Carla's paws loosened their grip and the blonde fell towards the waiting army, his face nearly splitting in half as his grin grew to epic proportions. Tearing her gaze away from the falling blonde, Carla turned towards the west and dove towards the ground, unbidden tears running down her cheeks as she tried to forget the infuriating blonde while she raced towards her destination.

* * *

><p>Even as Naruto fell towards the crowded plaza, he couldn't help it when time seemed to slow to a crawl and he began to notice everything occurring around him.<p>

_'Fifty heavily armed cats approaching from the air, their objective is most likely Carla and Happy so they'll need to be kept busy. Two hundred soldiers in the courtyard, including the four division commanders... Hello, what's this?' _ Naruto cocked an eyebrow as he watched more soldiers gather on the ramparts surrounding the courtyard, each of them swiftly hoisting dark flags into the air. Before the blonde could even guess at what was happening another group of soldiers appeared on the walls, several groups of which were manhandling an elaborate cannon into position.

_**'Something tells me that this is not normal.'**_ Chuckling softly at the biju's sarcasm, Naruto watched the newly arrived soldiers as they each turned their weapons towards the approaching cats.

_'Oh, I have a bad feeling about this...' _ Just as was was about to fall past the new arrivals, the blonde caught sight of the expression each soldier wore, their grim countenances sending a chill down his spine. Watching helplessly as they fired their weapons at the incoming Exceed, each beam of brilliant energy struck their targets froze the flying felines in midair while they let out screams of agony. _'Kurama, what happens when the lower class knows that they can beat their masters?'_

Kurama grunted softly as they watched each Exceed change into cat shaped lacrima that followed the blonde on his earthbound course._** 'A coup. You know, the ground is getting really close now, Brat. Could you have cut it any closer?'**_

Suppressing a smirk at his partner's words, Naruto pulled a portion of the natural energy trapped within his bracer to shift into Sage Mode, a rush of power washing over the blonde moments before he struck the cobblestones. The impact threw a massive cloud of dust and debris into the air, but this paled in comparison to the damage caused by the lacrima when it finally crashed into the ground.

Erza Knightwalker turned to her fellow commanders, halting them all with a heated glare. "My men and I will take care of the male. Do not interfere." Pantherlily removed his hand from his sheathed sword while Sugarboy and Hughes raised their hand and shook their heads at the scowling woman. Erza gave them all a final glare before she turned towards her troops and grimaced at the cloud of dust. Erza raised Ten commandments and pointed it at the blonde's crash site. "All units, move in and secure the prisoner... or whatever is left of him." Several squads from her division swiftly entered the dense cloud within moments of her order, their loud voices carrying across the courtyard as they began their search.

"No sign of him, sarge. Do you think he's even still alive after that fall?"

"I found the lacrima and you should see the size of it. No sign of the blonde though."

"Sir, there's nothing here... wait a minute! I see him, he's.. ARGH!"

Erza's eyes widened as the initial cry was soon followed by many others while flashes of magical weaponry lit up the dust cloud from within. Moments later the panicked scream ended abruptly, the remaining soldiers staring silently at the slowly settling cloud. Her lips tightening into a firm line, Erza prepared to order the rest of her men in when she heard a soft clapping, the unexpected sound causing her to pause for a moment when a sudden burst of wind stripped away the remaining airborne debris.

When the last of the airborne debris was swept away they could see their target sitting precariously atop the cat shaped lacrima, a bored look on his face and his hand continuing to slowly clap away. Erza's eyes tightened at the sight of the blonde's aloof expression as he stared at the remaining soldiers.

"Wow... that was so underwhelming. I mean these guys," Naruto said while he gestured at the pile of unconscious bodies scattered around the base of the crystal. "They just rushed in without any kind of a plan, didn't they? I seriously hope you didn't think that they had a chance, after all it's hard enough to hit a shinobi when you can see him. Now the rest of you may have a chance to win now that my cover is gone... maybe?"

Growling angrily as she raised her weapon over her shoulder, Erza's weapon shifted into it's Cannon form and fired a blast of pure magic lancing towards the infuriating man. Erza watched in anticipation as the grinning blonde sat there while the blast consumed him. Lowering her weapon, Erza stared at the lacrima for a moment before she let out a satisfied grunt, shouldered her weapon and approached the crystal. But after the first step she felt a heavy hand land on her shoulder, her eyes widening at the familiar voice that spoke softly in her ear. "Now that wasn't very nice, Erza-chan."

Erza wasted no time and shifting her spear once more, the familiar rush of Silfarion's speed allowing her to turn and blast past any defense the blonde may have prepared. Her spear easily pierced blonde's stomach, her furious eyes locking onto the blonde's bored expression. "I'm not a nice person, fool!"

Chuckling softly, Naruto gave the grim faced redhead a rueful grin before he vanished in a burst of smoke. Stepping back in surprise, Erza's eyes tightened when she heard the same voice coming from the far side of the courtyard. "I never said that you were, Erza-chan. Though it may be a good idea if you learned how to be nice in the next minute or so, for the safety of your men of course."

Erza turned towards the rest of the army and watched as multiple copies of the same man stepped into the light and surround them. Sugarboy and Hughes grew decidedly nervous at the strange occurrence, the pair nervously fingering their weapons as their eyes swept back and forth among the clones. , Pantherlily merely reached for the sword to his waist and slowly pulled his Buster Marm from it's sheath and pointed his blade towards the the nearest clone. "In the name of the king I order you to surrender immediately."

One of the clones stepped forward, his eyes blinking rapidly as he turned towards the other Division commanders and gestured towards the muscular feline. "I'm sorry but I'm having a really hard time taking him seriously. A giant flying cat is asking me to surrender... is it just me or can the rest of you see how funny this is?" Turning his attention towards the cat in question, the clone used every shred of self control he possessed to stop himself from grinning at the Exceed's thunderous visage. "Aren't these guys supposed to be small and cuddly with an annoyingly high pitched voice..." The clone's words cut off abruptly when Pantherlily's sword grew a hundredfold in an instant and cleaved the disrespectful clone's head from it's neck in an instant. A moment of silence passed before the headless construct vanished in a burst of smoke and several nearby clones gingerly rubbed their necks while others merely laughed at the shared memory.

"I've changed my mind about you," The real Naruto said as he stepped out of the shadows and gave the glowering commander an appraising look. "You've got spunk and I like that. But surrender is completely out of the question," Naruto said firmly, his expression growing grim. "After all you were the ones that kidnapped my guild and all the innocent people surrounding them so that you could profit from their deaths. I tend to take those kinds of things personally, especially when my girlfriend is involved. "

Hughes let out a bark of laughter at the blonde's words, his hands falling away from his weapon as he placed them on his hips. "Ah, a man in love, yes? I can see how you'd feel obligated to stop us if that's the situation. But what if we could save your woman from her fate, would you let us continue with our plans?" When there was no response from the frowning blonde Hughes gave Sugarboy a grin before he slowly approached him. "It appears you only have a small number of copies here to assist you while we have an almost unlimited number of soldiers spread throughout the city. I suggest that you take a moment to rethink your plan and ..." Hughes paused in mid-sentance when a whistling kunai nicked his cheek, the razor sharp weapon continuing on it's path until it struck a far off column. Several soldiers let out a fear filled gasp when the small weapon hit a far off column, the force behind the small weapon collapsing the pillar in an instant.

"Suggest that again, scum, and the next one won't miss. You all have one chance," Naruto said angrily while he pointed at the gathered soldiers. "Surrender immediately. This is your only warning."

Blinking slowly, Hughes gingerly wiped at his cheek and took a moment to stare at his bloody hand before turning towards his fellow commanders. Naruto waited patiently for the army's answer when he heard a round of loud laughter explode from Hughes' lips, the shinobi's eyebrows rising slowly as the wounded commander turned to face him with a crazed look in his eyes. "Surrender? US? I think it's the other way around, Blondie!

"This is exactly what we are fighting against!" Naruto looked up and glared at the sight of Faust as he gestured grandly towards the courtyard below. "First the Exceed seek to oppress us by claiming that they are some form of divinity to be revered! And now this man, one of the privileged fools of Earthland, seeks to assert his dominance over us! We have every right to take that which we need, Earthlander, no matter the cost! Rise up soldiers! Continue with the execution of code ETD and kill this man so that you may take your rightful place alongside with me in a new age for Edolas!"

Sighing softly, Naruto ignored the tumultuous cheers surrounding him and raised his hand over his head before he swiftly dropped it. Moments later a sphere of compressed air was launched from a far off building, the deadly orb crashing into Faust's balcony and obscuring the ruler from sight. The soldiers cheers turned to cries of horror while Erza and Pantherlily turned their furious gazes towards Naruto. "What? I never said I was alone, did I? Don't blame me, you chose to do it the hard way."

"Wait, I recognize that attack," Knightwalker said angrily, the redhead's muscles trembling as she pointed her spear at the bored looking blonde. "Where did you find that?! And how in the seven hells could you be stupid enough to fire it at full strength in a heavily populated city like that?"

Arching an eyebrow at the redhead's accusatory tone, Naruto gave the commander a languid grin as his hands slid into place behind his head. "Really, it has different settings? Too bad I never found any documentation with it, that would have been so helpful. And I find it funny that a thief and murderer had the gall to lecture me on what I should and should not do."

Erza spitted the blonde with an angry stare while she angrily swung her spear towards the crumbling stonework. "That's not the point! Are you that foolish, to use an unknown weapon in battle like that?"

"Absolutely." Shocked at the quick answer, each soldier began to silently re-evaluate the grinning madman.

Screaming angrily, Erza prepared to launch herself at the blonde when a large hand grabbed the shaft of her weapon and pulled her back. Eyes burning in betrayal, Erza rounded on Pantherlily but the massive Exceed's expression instantly silenced the redhead. "Knightwalker, he's baiting you! Secure the Dragon Slayers with Squads Alpha, Delta and Bravo! The rest of you form up and advance!" Raising his Buster Marm over head, Pantherlily savagely swung his sword towards the original blonde in the hope that he could quickly end this battle .

Naruto continued to calmly smile as he watched the immense sword descending upon him, a pair of kunai sliding into his hands from his sleeves. Roaring loudly, the blonde swung both arms upward and halted the falling swords path with a sharp clang. "Now I know how Kakashi-sensei felt when he fought Zabuza," Naruto said softly, his arms straining lightly while he held the massive sword at bay. "How do you make it change size like that?" Pantherlily let out and angry roar and pulled his weapon back, launching himself towards the grinning blonde. Within moments his men were following his example as they separated into squads and charged the nearest clone.

* * *

><p>Cursing softly, Mira couldn't help but stare at the stupidly overpowered rifle cradled in her hands. "What the hell is this thing? And where exactly did Naruto find it?"<p>

"During the boss' sweep of the city yesterday he ran across a sealed facility filled with some pretty high tech gear," One of the clones standing behind Mira said while he kept his attention focused on the weapon's impact site. "According to the records he found, Faust had originally planned on invading Earthland a lot sooner and he had a large number of weapons designed to use against mages. But the plan was abandoned after several raids failed due to interference from said mages, apparently these morons thought it was a good idea to hit the council in Era first... stupid bastards. So the invasion went onto the back burner and they stored the excess material just in case it was ever needed. And it looks like... damn, you did miss. Faust's making a break for it, he's fifteen meters to your right on the same floor."

Growling softly, Mira swung her borrowed weapon towards the found her target a moment before the cowardly ruler passed out of sight. "Dammit! We were so close! This thing may be powerful, but it takes too long to fire."

"Relax, Faust was a target of opportunity. We're supposed to give the boss some covering fire while keeping you safe. Speaking of which," The clone said softly as he leaned in and inspected the devastating weapon for a before letting out a triumphant noise. "According to Knightwalker this thing has lower settings and I think I just found the control for that." The construct tapped a small button adorning the side of the weapon and nodded happily when the high pitched whine the weapon was emitting immediately lowered in pitch. "There, that should do it. Now when Lisanna picks out targets they won't accidentally vaporize the boss."

Dropping the set of pilfered binoculars she'd been using to her chest, Lisanna turned and gave the clone an indignant glare. "Do you really think I would purposely hurt Naruto-nii?!" The addressed clone cocked an eyebrow at the teen's indignant expression and patiently folded his arms against his chest while directing a calm stare at the Take Over mage. "Ugh, fine, no friendly fire accidents. You're no fun..."

"I am so getting you out of here the moment I can and then you're my Mira's problem, brat." Ignoring the teens indignant should, the clone leaned over the edge of the building and nodded at the sight of empty streets. "Looks like the boss' plan is working. Now all we need to do is figure out how to get everyone back home..."

"I think I can help with that." The clone let out a soft laugh and looked over his shoulder at the newest arrival.

"You're late."

Shrugging his shoulders at the annoyed clone, Mystogan approached the edge of the roof and stared at the imposing palace that had once been his home. "All these years, and nothing has changed..."

"Don't get all sentimental on me, Mystogan. You've got your distraction so get the lead out and reverse the Anima. And here," The clone said as he pushed Lisanna towards the S-Class mage. "Take her with you in case you need some backup."

Mystogan looked at the frowning teen in his arms for a moment and gave the clone a deadpan stare. "Backup?"

"Fine, you caught me. I want her out of the fight, satisfied? It's hard enough keeping track of one person let alone two. What kind of time frame are we looking at?"

Mystogan pulling a staff from his back and took a moment to consider his reply. "An hour, maybe two. The last time I saw the Anima it was extremely complex and difficult to operate, and I doubt that it's changed that much over the years. Don't worry, we'll get everyone back home in one piece." Gesturing towards a still frowning Lisanna, Mystogan slowly backed towards the center of the roof and grabbed the teen's shoulder before he slammed the weapon against the rooftop. As he watched them vanished in a burst of light the lead clone let out a soft laugh before he as he turned towards the ongoing melee.

"Showoff."

* * *

><p>"There she is, stop her!" Panting loudly as she continued her headlong sprint down a dark corridor, Lucy took a moment to glance over her shoulder at the slowly gaining soldiers. The frightened teen continued to run when she saw a familiar spear pass over her shoulder and effortlessly bury itself into the stone floor. Lucy skidded to a stop when the half buried weapon glowed brightly and exploded, throwing her to the ground in a painful heap. Whimpering softly as she struggled to rise, Lucy could make out the familiar sight of Erza Knightwalker as she slowly passed the prone teen and reclaimed her weapon before turning her full attention to her target.<p>

"Lucy, all this running is just prolonging the inevitable. I was told to execute you," Erza said softly, the calm words she uttered at odds with the manic grin she aimed at the whimpering mage. "And I will do everything in my power to see that my King's wishes are fulfilled."

"KYAAAAA!"

Turning towards the pain filled scream, Lucy let out a pain filled grunt as she tried to stand. "T-that was Wendy...w-what are you doing to her?" A moment later Erza slowly crouched in front of the blonde and chuckled.

"We're merely siphoning the power we need to complete code ETD. That's all you Earthlanders are good for anyways, you're all just convenient sources of power for us to use and discard. I'm sorry to say that your usefulness is at an end. It's too bad really, I'm sure we could have had so much fun with you." Rising to her feet, Erza took as moment to stare at the fallen blonde before she raised her weapon towards the ceiling. "Goodbye, Lucy." Clenching her eyes shut, Lucy waited for the inevitable blow when she felt a surge of hope at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Are you really that stupid to try and harm someone from our guild?" Turning abruptly, Knightwalker watched in shock as an explosion of ice flung her men to the ground. Erza gritted her teeth as a shadowed pair approached her, her confusion growing at the sight of a familiar looking teen stepping into the light and raising both his hands before him. A glowing seal appeared in mid air and the ice surrounding her men shattered into motes of light. His companion's gait never wavered as she approached the still redhead, the silver sword in her hand slowly rising and pointing towards the silent Knightwalker.

"We will never forgive anyone that raises a hands against our comrades," Erza Scarlet said as she calmly stared at her twin. "Even if it's ourselves that we must fight."

"Anyone that hurts our friends is an enemy of Fairy Tail," Gray said as he slammed his glowing hands into the ground, a column of ice rising out of the stone floor and tossing the soldiers in the direction they'd come from. Knightwalker lazily swung her spear at a spear of ice in her path, her weapon flaring brightly as she launched herself towards the kneeling ice-mage. But before she could strike her spear was halted by her twin's sword, both redhead's glaring at each other as they tried to overpower each other.

Lucy couldn't help but smile at the sight of her friends. "Erza! Gray! You're both alright!"

"Gray," Erza said tightly, her eyes never wavering as she stared at her double. "Take Lucy and find the others. I'll handle her."

"Right!" Gray ran towards his fallen comrade and pulled her to her feet, his ice magic instantly shattering her manacles. "Any idea which way..."

"GAAAAHHHH!"

"KYAAAAA!"

"...Nevermind. Let's go rescue the dumbass and Wendy. Erza, you better not lose!"

Erza couldn't help but smirk at the teen's admonishment. Pushing against Edo-Erza's spear the S-Class mage sent her foe skidding back several feet, giving her time to prepare herself for the inevitable battle. When her double leaped towards her with a roar her sword flashed out and redirected each probing thrust moments before it it could strike, the Edolas native's beautiful face growing angrier with each missed strike. "Worry about your own battles, Gray."

* * *

><p>Panting softly, Naruto took a moment to study the few conscious soldiers and their scowling leader, each of them waiting to see what the blonde's next move would be.<p>

_'I can't help but feel... what's the word I'm looking for, Kurama?'_

_**'Nostalgia? You're right, this is something that lazy teacher of yours would have setup to prove a point. Now stop interrupting me, this is a delicate procedure!'**_

Naruto let out a soft chuckle and idly scratched at his cheek, a few men flinching at the sheepish gesture. Sugarboy and Hughes had left the battlefield almost immediately, leaving the capture of the upstart blonde in Pantherlily' paws. Despite being matched up against a much more powerful combatant the small army had managed to whittle down his clones to a mere handful, an act that forced the the surprised and strangely pleased blonde to rely on his repertoire of techniques and cover fire from Mira to help see him through the battle. _ 'Now if they'd been able to actually beat me when I was being serious than it would be a much larger accomplishment, but still... oh, looks like Lily's gonna try and convince me to give up again.'_

Pantherlily did raise his sword towards the blonde but a sudden tremor forced him to catch himself before he could fall. Turning towards the disturbance the Exceed let out a tired sigh and shook his head. "Erza, it looks like she's going all out again... but why would she need to?"

"Well of course she is," Naruto said loudly. "I sent MY Erza to help Lucy and the others. The two of them are probably locked in some kind of battle to the death or something, but that's not your problem. I am."

Shaking his head angrily, Pantherlily thrust his sword towards the blonde and growled. "You may have beaten the men that I have with me, but that is but a fraction of the soldiers that we have in the city! Surrender at once or we'll hunt you down like the dog you are."

"Yeah, the other soldiers, that's right..."

Pantherlily's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the blonde's evasive response. "What did you do?"

"Me? Nothing really," Naruto said as a tried to adopt an innocent expression. "I just made a large number of clones that have spread throughout the city and are holding your men off, that's all. You really need to work on the drills for some of those barracks, Cat, some of them didn't even make it out before I sealed them inside. That's weak, Cat, totally weak."

"Be that as it may," The large exceed said peevishly while making a mental note to personally find the men that had failed so miserably at their duty. "We still have more soldiers that can be flown in via airship from the surrounding towns. All we need to do is hold you off until they arrive..."

Each soldier watched in dismay as the blonde slowly shook his head and let out an apologetic hiss. "Yeah, about that..."

Pantherlily slammed his weapon point first into the ground and massaged the bridge of his nose. Resisting the urge to scream at the infuriating blonde he glared at the grinning fool once again. "What did you do NOW?!"

* * *

><p>Bora couldn't help but grin at the sight of the destroyed garrison, the still conscious soldiers waiting patiently as several bandits took their time binding their hands together. The entire battle had been a rout from the get go, mostly due to the fact that the blonde that had captured him had somehow managed to convince his leader and any other bandit group they could find in time to fight with him against the Army.<p>

* * *

><p>Glaring angrily at the blonde, Pantherlily pulled his sword from the destroyed ground and pointed the massive sword at the shinobi. "I... you... dammit, you're starting to really piss me off!"<p>

Arching an eyebrow at Pantherlily's choice of words, Naruto shrugged his shoulders lazily and pushed himself back onto his feet. "Oh don't be like that, I'm an awesome guy! It just sucks that you got stuck trying to stop me while your buddies went and ran out on you. But on the plus side, all this time we've wasted means that Gajeel should have no problem freeing the others. Well that's really only a plus for me."

Pantherlily felt a seed of worry slowly growing in the pit of his stomach at the blonde's words. "Gajeel? Who, or what, is a Gajeel?"

"You didn't know? And here I thought you guys had some decent intel on us. Fairy Tail doesn't have two Dragon Slayers in it's ranks," Naruto said softly, his grin growing more feral with each passing second. "We have three. Gajeel can crack the lacrima like an egg with his powers, he should be arriving at it's location any minute now."

Pantherlily's wings appeared in and instant and the huge Exceed leaped into the air, his furious roar rattling a few of the remaining windows in the courtyard. Naruto let out a dark chuckle and watched the tall cat fly away before he turned towards the remaining soldiers. "Heheheh... now then, you can either surrender and run away like cowards, or you can attack me and get your assess handed to you and run away after you wake up."

Each soldier stared at the grinning blonde for a moment before they rushed him, their battle cries eliciting a nod in admiration. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. It's too bad that won't help you win!" A violent wind tore through the ruined courtyard as Naruto channeled his chakra through his legs, the grinning blonde vanishing in an instant. Several meaty thumps and pain filled cries later the victorious shinobi reappearing amid a gust of wind and took a moment study his work.

Nodding to himself happily, Naruto turned to leave when he heard a grunt of pain. "Y-y-your not g-g-getting away..." Looking down, Naruto shook his head at the sight of a bloody soldier trying desperately to reach him.

Naruto crouched down beside his opponent and gave him a meaningful look. "You remind me of myself when I was younger. I never gave up, even when I was beaten. Unfortunately you're just a normal person so you can only go so far and it's time I got serious."

Eyes widening in anger, to struggling soldier weakly pushed himself off of the ground and glared at the shinobi. "Y-y-you were j-just playing with us?"

"I wouldn't say I was playing with you, it was more like conserving my energy. Once your commander left, I decided it was time to let loose a little." Naruto waited a few moments until the fallen soldier's finally slipped into unconsciousness, a tired sigh passing his lips as he rose to his feet. '_T__hat and I can't just keeps spamming chakra intensive techniques like I used to. Speaking of which, how's it coming in there?'_

_**'I've almost... dammit, this piece of shit seal is being more difficult that I thought it'd be! I've almost got it but it's going to take a little bit longer!' **_Cursing softly, Naruto let out an annoyed grunt before he turned his attention towards the palace. **_'I'm still trying to figure out why you sent the cat after Metal head, didn't you accept him as one of your comrades?' _**

_'I did accept him as a comrade,' _Naruto thought as he approached the castle entrance. _'But I still owe him for what he to the guild and the fact that he almost hurt Mira.'_ Naruto paused for a moment in front of the massive wooden door that blocked his path when a deep chuckle from his partner prompted him to enter his mind scape. _'What's so funny?'_

_**'You're definitely my container, I'm so proud of you!'**_

_'Ugh, don't get all mushy on me, fox. Now how about we go and see what kind of mayhem we can cause, ne?'_

* * *

><p>Mira took a deep breath as she watched Naruto enter the palace, the Edolas native taking a moment to look over her shoulder at the group of clones. "He's inside, what's next?"<p>

Nodding firmly, the leader of the clones gestured towards the edge of the roof. The rest of his kind approached the edge and leaped towards the palace while the final clone leaned forward and scooped the surprised barmaid into his arms. "Time to change locations then. The Boss found a perfect vantage point for you when he was scouting the city yesterday, we'll setup there and wait for him to show up."

Nodding absently, Mirajane held back a nervous squeal as her escort leaped into the air. Mira swallowed nervously and looked towards the ground, the sight of a beleaguered group of clones causing her to growl angrily. Raising her rifle to her shoulder, Mira ignored the clone's panicked words and fired, the powerful recoil destroying the delicate construct in an instant. Mira let out a terrified scream, her eyes squeezing shut as she fell to her doom. 'Dammit, maybe that wasn't such a good idea!' After falling several feet she was resigned herself to her fate when a when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and she felt herself flying through the air once more.

"Don't do that again," A new clone said tersely. "I didn't let you come along so that you could get yourself killed!"

"But your clones were in trouble!"

Sighing loudly, the clone landed on a rooftop and silently pointed towards the group of angry looking clones. "No, they were baiting them into a trap. Leave the fighting to them while we get in position otherwise we'll miss our chance."

"Our chance? What are you talking about?"

"No time to explain," The clone said as he leaped into the air. "Let's go!"

* * *

><p>"Hang on a second, did our Erza lose? No way!" Natsu prepared to charge the advancing redhead when a firm hand landed on the his shoulder.<p>

"Don't go rushing in, Flame-brain," Gray said as he stood beside his hotheaded comrade. "If she can beat our Erza then fighting her head on is suicide. What I wouldn't give to have Naruto here..."

"You rang?" Both Fairy Tail mages looked towards the ceiling and grinned at the sight of the familiar blonde.

"Alright! Now we can't lose!" Natsu said happily as his fist rose in triumph. "Kick her ass, Naruto!"

Both teens watched in anticipation as the shinobi landed in front of them and faced the approaching Knightwalker, but after several moments of silence they looked at each other in confusion. "Uh... Naruto?" A confused Gray said. "Aren't you going to kick her ass?"

Naruto gave them a big grin as he looked over his shoulder and shook his head. "Nope."

Both teens took a moment to stare at each other in surprise before they angrily jabbed their fingers towards the calm looking blonde. "NO?! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN 'NO'!"

Turing to face his angry guild mates, Naruto folded his arms against his chest and stared at the wide eyed duo. "Well kicking her ass would be counter productive, wouldn't it? I mean..."

While the blonde started to explain his reason for not attacking the redhead, both Gray and Natsu watched Knightwalker slowly approach the distracted blonde. "Naruto," Natsu said loudly, his hand shaking fearfully as he watched the redhead slowly approaching his friend. "Naruto! She's getting closer!"

"Natsu," Naruto said loudly, his sharp tone instantly silencing the teen. "How many times have I told you not to interrupt me?"

"BUT..."

"Natsu, what did I just say?"

"But Naruto," Gray said plaintively. "She's..."

"Gray! Don't make me run you two through my obstacle course again, I'm warning you!"

Both teens clammed up at the threat and silently watched as Knightwalker's armored hands paused at the side of the blonde's throat. But several tense seconds later the tall redhead leaned against the blonde and wrapped her arms around him in a loose embrace.

"Naruto... you're safe."

Blinking slowly, both Natsu and Gray stared at the unexpected sight for several seconds before Naruto let out an amused laugh. "Seriously? You guys didn't know that she's our Erza? That's weak guys, seriously weak." Naruto looked over his shoulder and gave the redhead a happy grin. "Hey Erza, sorry if I worried you and the others."

Erza released the blonde and gave him an amused glance. "You've really outdone yourself this time, Naruto. Mira was most displeased with your disappearance."

"So, uh... just how mad is Mira?" Naruto said nervously. "Should I be running as fast as I can once we get back home?"

Erza pushed herself off of the blonde and firmly slapped his back. "No, no, running should not be needed. Some grovelling may be required, maybe some bribery. You'll figure it out when the time comes, I'm sure of it. But enough of your love life, we have more important things to worry about right now."

"Right! You two," Naruto said loudly as he waved the pair of teens over. "Get over here so we can tie you up."

"WHAT?!"/"WHY?!"

"Seriously? Erza's dressed up like Edo-Erza, even you two should be able to figure out..." Naruto's voice trailed off and he released a heavy sigh. "Just... never mind, just shut up and let us tie you up. Idiots."

Several minutes later...

"Erza, is it true that you've brought the key back?" Faust inquired excitedly.

Pausing in mid stride, Erza threw a bound Gray at Faust's feet while she held onto Natsu. "The key was broken but he can replicate it."

Faust's gaze shifted towards the prone teen as he studied the young man for several moments. "And who exactly is he?"

Looking over her shoulder, Erza gestured impatiently for a nearby soldier's weapon. "A mage from Earthland that came from the lacrima we placed in the plaza. Reports indicate that there was were others with him but we haven't been able to locate them as of yet. But for now," Erza said softly as she took hold of the proffered weapon and placed it Natsu's bare neck. "We'll use this one's abilities to fire the Dragon Cannon and exterminate the Exceed. No tricks, Earthlander, or your friend dies."

The belligerent teen slowly struggled to his feet before he glanced at the rope encircling him. "And how exactly will I be able to make your key of my hands are tied up..." Gray's angry voice faltered after a single slice of Erza's sword made short work of his bonds, the razor sharp weapon returning to Natsu's neck. "Nevermind."

Gray raised a his hand and willed a copy of the Dragon key into existence before approaching the weapon. Looking over the smooth panels of the device he saw a small slot where he slid the key into position and then began searching for any other controls that he could use. When he saw a heavily guarded console resting against the other side of the room he let a annoyed sigh and turned towards Erza. "Ah crap baskets... Erza, plan B!"

Erza's eyes tightened and she swung her sword underneath Faust's chin. Meanwhile her prisoner raised his head and flexed his muscles, effortlessly snapped his bindings. "Knightwalker," Faust said calmly while he stared at the naked blade. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Wrong Erza, old man. This Erza doesn't like it when her friends are threatened," Naruto said as he dropped from the ceiling and landed on top of the Dragon Cannon. "And I can't say that I blame her. Natsu, Gray, go have some fun while he old man and I have a little chat."

Natsu and Gray shared a grin and charged towards the nervous looking soldiers, giving a grim faced Naruto time to leap to the ground and stare at the silent king. "You've been trying to get to Earthland for a very long time," Naruto said while he slowly approached Erza's prisoner. "Haven't you? How many people have died over the years just to feed your world's obsession with magic? Dozens? Hundreds?"

"More like thousands," Faust said calmly as he stared at the approaching blonde. "Although most of them were barely powerful enough to create a lacrima that would last more than a year. Your guild is more than sufficient to help us destroy the Exceed and ensure that we never run out of magic..."

Naruto's furious glare was enough to silence the old man's attempts to justify his deeds. "So killing innocent men, women and children is alright if you get what you want? Do your people know what your sacrificing so that they can have a little more of their 'fix'?" Several moments of silence passed between both men before the blonde let out an angry growl. "I thought not. They've been swallowed up in the insane ambitions of an old fool, one that is willing to sacrifice anything in the pursuit of his goals. Well it all ends today, old man." Reaching under his collar for the mic nestled against his throat, Naruto triggered the device and turned towards the Dragon Cannon. "Shinobi to Barmaid, do you read me?"

* * *

><p>From atop her newest perch Mirajane had a perfect vantage point of the entire exchange, a feral grin stretching across her lips as she took aim at the inactive cannon. "Loud and clear! I've got the target in my sights, just give the word!"<p>

* * *

><p>Naruto turned away from the weapon and smirked at the ruler's furious expression. "It's kind of fitting, isn't it? One of your weapons being used to destroy another? Barmaid, fire at will!"<p>

"CANNON SPEAR!"

In that moment Naruto felt as if Sasuke had plunged his fist into his chest once again when all of his clones with Mira dispelled at the same time, the panicking blonde looking upwards at the tower he'd chosen for Mira in time to see the tail end of a energy beam slam into the structure. He didn't waste any time in leaping towards the doomed edifice, his fear abating when he saw a weaponless Mira falling right towards him. Just as his arms encircled the screaming woman he saw a flash of red from the corner of his eye, a low growl passing his lips at the sight of Erza Knightwalker falling towards her captive king.

Twisting in mid air, Naruto angled himself towards at clear section of the floor and and released a burst of chakra then sent him barreling into the throng of soldiers. Multiple soldiers let out cries of pain and fear as they were flung away from the blonde's landing point. Releasing his cargo, Naruto reached for a kunai but it was too late when a soldier took advantage of the distraction and activated the Dragon Cannon. "NO!" Naruto watched helplessly as a brilliant orb of light shot towards the far off lacrima, his head shaking slowly at he watched the ascending energy morph into a dragon's head as it drew closer to it's target. _'Kurama, I need options!'_

_**'The only armor piercing techniques you have access to are the Rasengan and the Rasenshuriken. One will take to long to destroy the cannon and the other will kill everyone in the room.'**_

_'Furball, tell me you're done with that seal!'_

_**'Kit, I need more time!'**_

_'WE DON'T HAVE TIME! Dammit... even though you hate it when I use'em I've got no choice! Plan C it is!'_ Breathing deeply, Naruto locked a determined gaze on the sight of the ascending Dragon Chain while wisps of chakra gathering around his outstretched hands. _"FUIN! KONGO FUSA!"_ A dozen chains of incandescent chakra flew from the blonde's outstretched hands towards the Dragon Chain, each construct wrapping tightly around the his friend's stolen magic the moment it crashed into the far off island. Taking a deep breath, Naruto focused all of his chakra towards his feet and the surrounding floor and heaved, his hands clenched tightly around the mass of chains surrounding him. A loud cry escaped the shinobi's lips as he pulled with all his might, the floating islands movement slowing to a crawl. _'Ok, ok. I just need to hold this until we figure something else out. I'd better make some clones to...'_

_**'You're limited to four clones.'**_

Blinking slowly, Naruto took a moment to enter his mind scape and stare at his partner. _"Four? What do you mean FOUR?! I haven't been limited since I learned the damn technique! Well, there was that one time with Orochi-teme BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"_

"_**Well excuse me, jackass!"**_ Kurama roared while he continued to glare angrily at his container. _**"You're using most of your available chakra for those damned chains, not to mention the massive chunk I'M using to break the seals on your arms! SO STOP BITCHING AND DO SOMETHING USEFUL!"**_

Grumbling softly as he returned to the real world, Naruto took comfort at the sight of his comrades as they raced towards him. _ 'Whew, the others will protect me while I...'_

"Everyone!" Turning towards the sky in surprise, Naruto could only stare in shock at the sight of Lucy and another girl perched on the back of some kind of massive beast. "Get on, we'll stop it in the air!"

"OH, COME ON!" Naruto watched helplessly as his friends changed direction and sprinted towards the massive beast. "Dammit, Erza," Naruto said harshly, the Requip mage turning to face him. "Don't you dare leave me here alone, woman!"

"But you're not alone, Naruto," Erza said lightly as she clambered up the beast and sat behind a determined looking Lucy. "Mira is there with you. We'll see how things look from above, you can handle things on the ground."

"Dammit, do not... Natsu, Gray! Get your asses back down here, RIGHT NOW!"

Both teens stared at each other for a moment before they each gave the fuming blonde a deadpan stare and said in sync, "Sorry, but just as scared of Erza and she's a lot closer than you are at the moment."

"SON OF A..." Naruto's words were cut off as the gigantic beast leaped into the air, the stuck shinobi watching helplessly as his comrades rose into the air. Turning towards a gawking Mira, Naruto chuckled weakly and gave her a forced grin. "Hey, Mira? Do me a favor and try and find your rifle, wouldja? Cause I'm pretty sure Knightwalker's really pissed at the both of us right now."

break

"Should we have really left Naruto down there?" Lucy said, her expression growing more concerned as they rose into the air.

"Lucy, you worry too much. Naruto is an S-Class mage and he can handle something like this easily..."

"WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU GUYS I'M GONNA..." Whatever Naruto was about to yell was drowned out by a massive explosion, the Legion barely shifting as the shockwave roared past it.

"See?" Erza said with a evil grin. "He's fine."

* * *

><p>And Erza finally has her revenge. After all, no one threatens Erza's cake shops... NO ONE.<p> 


End file.
